Palliative Care

What Is Palliative Care?

Palliative Care is a type of comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for patients with serious illnesses that cause physical and/or emotional pain and suffering. It focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms and stresses caused by cancer. The goal of palliative care is to achieve the best quality of life for both the patient and the family.

What We Do for You

The palliative care team provides medical expertise in managing symptoms of discomfort related to cancer or cancer treatments. The palliative care team also takes the time to get to know you and understand your goals, priorities, wishes, and preferences for care. The overall goal is to optimize your quality of life. The palliative care team will work with your oncologist to keep you comfortable while receiving cancer directed treatments. The service also assists patients and families with medical decisions and advanced care planning throughout the continuum of care.

Is Palliative Care for Me?

Palliative care is for people of any age or any stage of cancer who are experiencing difficulty in managing pain or other symptoms affecting quality of life. Request a referral from your oncologist or primary care physician and the Munson Palliative Care team (or other care team near you) can determine if services are right for you.

Is Palliative Care the Same as Hospice?

No. Palliative care is a service that typically provides symptom management for cancer patients in collaboration with the patient's primary oncologist. Palliative care can encompass a "one-time" consultation or an "ongoing" visitation schedule to address symptom management needs, provide information on treatment options, offer counseling, and provide supportive care. Unlike hospice, palliative care is supportive during the time aggressive or curative treatment is being sought for the illness. Hospice is a Medicare-regulated benefit for those patients who have a life expectancy of 6 months or less. The philosophy of hospice is comfort and quality of life acknowledging that end-of-life is near.

What Are the Benefits of Palliative Care?

Many medical studies have shown that cancer patients who are also followed by an expert palliative care team report better quality of life, less depression, better coping, and in many cases, typically live longer than cancer patients who are not followed by an expert palliative care team. Additionally, studies have shown that caregivers and family members of patients with cancer report a better overall experience when their loved one with cancer is also followed by an expert palliative care team.

How Do I Pay for This Service?

Typically, the patient’s insurance is billed. Munson Palliative Care accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial insurance.

How Do I Contact a Palliative Care Team?

Please call Munson Healthcare Palliative Care at 231-935-5984 or 800-252-2065 for a Munson Healthcare location near you or contact Northstar Palliative Care and Hospice at 877-277-8823.