As part of UHS, the largest comprehensive healthcare system in the Southern Tier of New York State, the UHS Palliative Medicine Program serves patients with serious, chronic, and/or terminal illnesses, such as cancer, dementia, heart disease, and lung disease. Staffed by an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurse practitioners, and social workers, the program takes a holistic approach to the management of these illnesses, with the goal of maximizing quality of life through the end of life. The program works to help patients at any age and at any stage of illness to: • Understand their options • Manage their symptoms, including pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue, as well as anxiety and depression • Address their emotional and spiritual needs • Develop care plans and advanced directives that respect their choices • Support their family and friends • Coordinate their care with providers in the hospital and in the community A relatively new specialty, palliative medicine has expanded across the United States over the last two decades (Dumanovsky et al., 2015). Palliative medicine services have been associated with increased patient satisfaction rates and decreased healthcare costs in both hospital and home settings (for example, Brumley et al., 2007; Morrison et al., 2008; Morrison et al., 2011).https://orb.binghamton.edu/mpa_capstone/1013/thumbnail.jp
