Palliative Care is a type of care that is focused solely on pain and symptom management. Palliative care strives to keep the patients comfortable as much as possible.
Palliative care goals include:
- Aligning treatment outcomes with the patient’s values and preferences
- Improving the quality of life for both the patient and the family
- Minimizing pain and discomfort
- Alleviating emotional distress, anxiety, or depression
- Assisting with safety, mobility, and equipment
- Spiritual counseling
- Empowering patients and caregivers to make decisions that are right for them
Personalized Care Plans By Condition
Disease-Specific Guidelines for Palliative Eligibility
ALS
In end-stage ALS, the ability to breathe and swallow are two determining factors.
Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s who can no longer move around, perform personal care tasks, or speak properly.
COPD and Lung Disease
Patients with COPD and lung disease experience dyspnea at rest or with minimal exertion.
Heart Disease
Patients with heart disease that often experience shortness of breath, chest pain, weakness, functional decline, and the management of fluid status.
HIV and AIDS
HIV/AIDS patients with low CD4 counts, decreased performance on the KPS scale, and documentation of certain factors.
Liver Disease
Liver disease patients with persistent symptoms of hepatic failure, such as ascites, hepatic encephalopathy or recurrent varicella bleeding, and meet other guidelines.
Neurological Disease
Neurological diseases such as coma, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis are life-altering conditions that can lead to permanent deterioration of the nervous system.
Oncology
In oncology, the biggest predictor of hospice eligibility is the patient’s functional status, which is determined by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale or the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS).
Renal Disease
More patients and families are choosing not to start or to withdraw dialysis for multiple reasons, particularly in patients older than 60 years.
Sepsis and Concomitant End-Stage Disease
Sepsis is one of the most deadly U.S. conditions, with about 250,000 deaths each year. The estimated annual cost of sepsis readmissions is more than $3.5 billion.
