Comfort and Care for Those with Life-Limiting Illness

The goal of Palliative Care is to assist patients and families in making complex medical decisions, coordinating and communicating care with physicians, advocating for patients’ wishes, and achieving a sense of control over their medical care. Palliative Care is a service offered regardless of the stage of the disease or the need for other therapies. As such, it can be delivered concurrently with life prolonging care or as the main focus of care.

You are eligible for Palliative Care if you are a patient currently admitted as a Saint Anthony Medical Center inpatient and have an illness that is ultimately life-limiting (such as COPD, severe cardiac disease, cancer or dementia) OR have had a serious event (such as stroke, heart attack or respiratory failure) that may not be recoverable or may lead to a permanently reduced quality of life.

Palliative Care can help you

• Make decisions about current treatment, future treatment and discharge plans.
• Coordinate care and facilitate communication with physicians.
• Determine your wishes and make them known to your healthcare providers.
• Enhance your quality of life, both in and out of the hospital.
• Achieve comfort and relief of pain and other distressing symptoms.
• Have more control over your health care.
• Understand Advanced Directives and Do Not Resuscitate.
• Maintain a consistent support system within the hospital regardless of the floor or unit.

Our palliative care services are offered at Saint Anthony Medical Center. For more information or to discuss a referral, call 219.757.6339.