Find support and relief for the symptoms that often accompany chronic and/or serious illness.

The Palliative and Supportive Care team aims to honor those facing chronic and/or serious illness with compassion while enhancing the overall quality of life with physical comfort measures and support for emotional well-being.

Our team of specially trained registered nurses, medical assistants and providers partner with primary care providers and other specialists to create a patient- and family-centered plan that complements the patient’s clinical care plan and reflects their goals and preferences.

Palliative care can occur in conjunction with curative care and is available at any stage of illness and active treatment, whereas hospice care is appropriate only in life-limiting circumstances. Patients who are battling cancer, Alzheimer’s or other dementias, frailty, chronic obstructive lung disease or advanced heart failure may benefit from palliative care services provided in the hospital, our outpatient clinic, the Cancer Center and/or in your home.

An important aspect of palliative care is the effective management of symptoms, with pain as a primary focus. Because pain is unique to each person, a personalized care plan may include medications and other supportive therapies to help you be as comfortable as possible. We also offer assistance with advance care planning.

Providers

Meet our team of specially trained, compassionate palliative care professionals.

Stephanie S. Hsieh, M.D.

Nephrology, Pediatric Nephrology

Sandra Rivera, N.P.

Chronic Care Management

Amrita K. Sabharwal, M.D.

Palliative Care, Hospice, Hospital Medicine

Mario Vazquez, N.P.

Palliative and Supportive Care

Conditions and Services

For those experiencing a chronic condition or complex recovery from a serious illness, palliative care may be able to help.

  • Advanced Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
  • Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias
  • Cancer
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
  • Frailty
  • Kidney failure
  • Liver disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Stroke

To help manage symptoms and the impacts of serious illness, our care team creates a care plan to address pain, other physical symptoms, and emotional and spiritual needs. We provide different treatments and services including, but not limited to:

Assistance with advance care planning – including a living will, power of attorney and healthcare directives – complete with essential information for your decision-making when facing complex medical issues.

Addressing spiritual concerns, coping strategies, worries about loved ones and loss.

Connecting the patient with community services  – such as yoga or meditation classes, other spiritual and/or physical exercise programs, meal services, education, counseling, support groups and additional assistance with advanced care planning – to help them cope with illness/disease.

A personalized plan may include medications and other supportive therapies to help manage pain and physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, sleep difficulties, nausea, constipation and more; as well as feelings of depression, anxiety, stress and loss.