Palliative Care

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness.  The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and their family or caregivers. Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained providers who work together with a patient’s other doctors, to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is based on the specific needs of the patient. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and can be provided along with curative treatment.

At Buffalo Medical Group palliative care is focused on providing relief from symptoms and stress of illness. The Buffalo Medical Group palliative team provides information and referrals to various services to ensure that they are receiving quality care, while working with an interdisciplinary team. We provide education and facilitate solutions to urgent needs. In addition, our providers will follow-up periodically with palliative outreach calls and make additional recommendations as needed.

Improves Quality of Life

• Focuses on relieving the pain and symptoms that can come with a serious illness, which includes anxiety, depression, fatigue, weight loss, nausea and more. Can be implemented and help people throughout their serious illness, although many times is used within the last years of life.
• Can be provided while someone is receiving curative treatment
• The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and their family. Palliative care is provided by an interdisciplinary team to provide an extra layer of support.

Palliative services that may be recommended to our patients

• Social work
• Nutrition
• Pharmacy
• CHF home telemetry – Routine monitoring and early treatment of patients with congestive heart failure by one of our pharmacist or RN case managers.
• Extensivist clinic – Provides priority access and care for patients with complex medical needs, while trying to avoid an emergency room visit or hospitalization if appropriate. Conditions treated include nausea/vomiting, dehydration, congestive heart failure and COPD.
• Community partners for in home palliative care services, such as- Home Connections, Palliative Pathways, Mobile Primary Care, Hospice and others based on county of residence.