Complex Illness Management

Comprehensive Support for Life’s Challenges

St. Luke's Hospital recognizes that living with a serious illness impacts the whole person as well as their family in physical, emotional, spiritual and social ways. With this in mind, St. Luke's offers palliative care for patients both in the hospital and on an outpatient basis.

Palliative care may be right for you if you suffer from pain, stress or other symptoms due to a serious illness. Serious illnesses may include heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis and many other conditions. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any point in a serious illness, including at the time of diagnosis.

Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, chaplains and social workers who work with a patient's other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. The team helps relieve symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, difficulty sleeping, depression and anxiety. They also help patients better understand their medical condition and their choices for medical care.

St. Luke's Palliative Care Team ensures the highest quality of life for patients and families coping with life-limiting illness at any time in the disease process. The team includes a specially trained physician, a nurse, a social worker and a chaplain, and focuses on:

• Integrating psychological, spiritual and social support for patients and families
• Incorporating patient's goals of care across the continuum, providing coordination between inpatient and outpatient settings
• Enhancing patient well-being by relieving suffering and improving the quality of life
• Maximizing use of community resources to support the family
• Encouraging caregivers by providing education, resources and support
• Using appropriate resources that support patient and family goals