Primary Care
The Institute of Medicine recommended in a 2014 report that all people with advanced serious illness have access to palliative care specialists. Primary care providers support many core principles promoted by palliative care and are able to address many of the symptoms of their patients. However, when there are complex cases with challenging symptoms to manage, a referral to a palliative care specialist may provide your patients with the additional layer of support needed to improve their quality of life.
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs):
Accountable Care Organizations are designed to improve quality while containing the cost of care for a defined population of patients. Palliative care is vital to the success of ACOs because of the high concentration of health care spending among those living with serious illness.
How palliative care can help your ACO patient:
- Data consistently demonstrates that palliative care improves quality of care for the seriously ill, and in so doing reduced need for emergency services and hospitalization.
- Palliative care can also enhance family outcomes (improved family satisfaction and quality of life, decreased depression and anxiety, better bereavement adjustment and improved survival among spouses.
- Palliative care can lower costs through prevention of symptom crises, reducing depression, supporting family caregivers, and matching treatments with patient’s priorities.
Reference: The Role of Palliative Care in Accountable Care Organizations
Find out how Atlantic Health System’s ambulatory palliative care specialty practice can work with you as their primary physician to provide that additional layer of support. Learn more
Atlantic Health System’s Community-Based Palliative Care Practices
- Atlantic Medical Group Palliative Care Program
973-971-4404 - Internal Medicine Faculty Associates Palliative Care
973-971-7165 - Carol G. Simon Palliative Care for Patients with Cancer
973-971-7960 - Medical Diagnostic Associates Palliative Care for Patients with Cancer
908-522-5329 - Advanced Care Oncology and Hematology Palliative Care for Patients with Cancer
908-522-5329 - Chilton Palliative Care Practice
862-248-8043
LINKS:
- Palliative Care services from Atlantic Medical Group
- Atlantic Visiting Nurse in-home care
- Atlantic Accountable Care Organization
- Weaving Palliative Care into Primary Care: A Guide for Community Health Centers
- How Are ACOs Prioritizing Palliative Care And Other Serious Illness Strategies?
- The National Academies- Dying in America – NCBI Bookshelf
As a primary care provider you already follow many of the core principles of palliative care. Specialized community-based palliative care practices are key to providing that additional layer of support with complex cases and challenging symptom management.
While caring for patients who are living with serious illness, many complex physical and psychosocial, symptoms may need to be addressed. Palliative care is there working with you to maximize the quality of life for your patients and their loved ones through the entire trajectory of their illness.
Asking patients what matters to them through the end of their life starts an important conversation about their values and preferences. If a serious illness or injury occurs, this communication helps your health care team provide treatment that respects the individual’s wishes.
Health care professionals from participating long-term care facilities can access palliative care resources through the Community Palliative Care Collaborative portal.
Learn more about palliative care by reading answers to questions others have asked.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the palliative care team do?
Palliative care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) is specialized medical care that focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. It is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with your other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. The goal is to improve your quality of life.
To do this, the palliative care team will:
- Relieve your symptoms and distress
- Help you better understand your disease and diagnosis
- Help clarify your treatment goals and options
- Understand and support your ability to cope with your illness
- Assist you with making medical decision
- Coordinate with your other doctors
What can I expect from palliative care?
In short, you can expect that your quality of life will be improved. You will have relief from symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping. You can also expect close communication and more control over your care. Palliative care will help you carry on with daily life. It will improve your ability to go through medical treatments. And it will help you to match your goals to your treatment choices.
Will my insurance cover palliative care?
Most insurance plans cover all or part of palliative care, just as with other hospital and medical services. This is also true of Medicare and Medicaid. If costs concern you, a social worker or financial consultant from the palliative care team can help you with payment options.
Do I have to give up my own doctor?
No. The palliative care team provides an extra layer of support and works in partnership with your primary doctor.
Can I have curative treatment together with palliative care?
Yes, absolutely. Your treatment choices are up to you. You can have palliative care at the same time as treatment meant to cure you.
Who else, besides the patient, can benefit?
Everyone involved! Patients as well as family caregivers are the special focus of palliative care. Your doctors and nurses benefit too, because they know they are meeting your needs by providing care and treatment that reduces your suffering and improves your quality of life.
Where do I get palliative care?
Palliative care is available in a number of places. More and more, palliative care is available outside of the hospital in the places where you live. You, your doctor and the palliative care team can discuss outpatient palliative care or palliative care at home. Some hospitals also offer outpatient palliative care even if you have not been in the hospital. Check with your doctor. These include hospitals, outpatient clinics and at home.
Who provides palliative care?
How does palliative care help me choose the best treatment option?
When should I ask for palliative care?
Recent cancer guidelines say that cancer patients should receive palliative care early and together with their other treatments. People who are newly diagnosed with advanced cancer should receive a palliative care consult within eight weeks of their diagnosis. Read the guidelines