Palliative Care
WHAT IS PALLIATIVE MEDICINE?
Palliative Medicine strives to relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for patients with advanced illness while offering support to their families. It is not a mutually exclusive alternative to treatments designed to cure an illness. Palliative medicine can be offered simultaneously with all other appropriate medical treatment. Consultations by physicians or nurse practitioners are provided in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities and in the patient's home. Studies suggest that palliative medicine can actually improve the quality of patient care as well as reduce the cost of care.
WHAT DOES PALLIATIVE MEDICINE DO?
Palliative medicine relieves suffering and improves the quality of life for patients with advanced illness. The control of pain, other physical symptoms and the management of psychological, social and spiritual concerns are paramount. The goal of palliative medicine is achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families.
Specifically, palliative medicine:
- Provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms.
- Integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care.
- Offers a support system to help the family cope.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM PALLIATIVE MEDICINE?
Patients with life-limiting illnesses, including but are not limited to:
- Metastatic or recurrent cancer
- Dementia
- Liver disease
- COPD
- HIV/AIDS
- Cardiac disease
- Stroke
- Renal disease
- Persistent coma
Patients with uncontrolled physical symptoms, including, but not limited to:
- Pain
- Delirium
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
- Insomnia
- Nausea (and/or vomiting)
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Cough
Patients and/or families wishing to discuss:
- Advance care planning
- Goals of therapy
- Comfort-directed therapy
- Withdrawal of mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and/or other forms of artificial life support
WHO ARE PALLIATIVE MEDICINE CONSULTANTS?
Palliative Medicine Consultants is a program of Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region.
Since 2003, we have been providing palliative medicine under the name of Palliative Care Consultants (now Palliative Medicine Consultants). Our program currently sees patients daily in settings as varied as the hospital intensive care unit, home or skilled nursing facilities. The team is led by John E. Barkley, MD, FCCP, Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region Medical Services; and Assistant Vice President, Medical Services, Judith Kinsella, RN, MSN, CHPN.
In addition to Dr. Barkley and Judith Kinsella, our staff has increased to adequately serve the rapid growth of this program.
Team Leaders
John E. Barkley, MD, FCCP
Judith Kinsella, RN, MSN, CHPN
Team Physicians
Larry Burke, MD
Janet Crook, MD
Nick Grivas, MD
Laurie Hicks, MD
Deborah Perry, MD
Lana Riemann, MD
William Porter, MD
Robert Smith, MD
Nurse Practitioners
Denise Albano, ANP-C
Shelia Bell, MSG, RN.C
Rachel Hepp, ANP-C
Niki Koesel, ANP-C, CHPN
Beth Martin, RN, MSN, CCNS, ACNP, ACHPN
Maria Weisenhorn, ANP-C
Nurses
Ellen Roubaud, RN, CHPN
Karen Aumiller, RN
Joyce Conway, RN BSN - Disease Management Coordinator
Medical Services Social Worker
Karen Myers, MSW, LCSW-P
HOW CAN YOU MAKE A REFERRAL FOR PALLIATIVE MEDICINE?
All referrals must come from the patient's physician.
- Complete the Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte Region Referral Form.
- Contact the Referral Center at 704.375.0100 between 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
- Lincoln County residents should contact Hospice & Palliative Care Lincoln County between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm at 704.732.6146.
- From 5:00 pm to 8:30 am, ask for the Palliative Medicine Consultants, and an on-call staff member will assist you.
WHO PAYS FOR PALLIATIVE MEDICINE?
We accept Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance payments. However, eligibility for our services is not based on a patient's ability to pay.