Our Approach

Palliative Care provides comfort and communication for seriously ill patients by relieving or soothing symptoms of a disease or disorder while maintaining the highest possible quality of life. Palliative care is for people of any age, at any stage of illness, whether that illness is curable, chronic, or life threatening.

In our clinic, you will have a 60-minute appointment with a Mission Heritage Medical Group hospitalist, specializing in Palliative Medicine. The doctor will discuss your condition, treatment plan and address any concerns.

Here’s what you need to consider:

Do you have a life-limiting illness?

• Cancer
• Dementia or neurological disorders (e.g.: stoke, Parkinson’s Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, ALS)
• Advanced heart failure (congestive heart failure, severe coronary artery disease)
• Chronic lung disease (oxygen dependence, tracheotomy dependence, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, end-stage asthma)
• End-stage kidney disease or liver disease

Do you have any of the following unmet Palliative Care needs?

• Frequent visits to the Emergency Department or hospital admissions in the past six months
• Uncontrolled symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, depression
• Functional decline such as loss of mobility, frequent falls, difficulty with cooking, cleaning, bathing or showering
• Uncertainty about navigating complex medical problems
• Caregiver distress

For additional information about Palliative Care, please go to:

• Center to Advance Palliative Care
• Palliative Care Quality Collaborative