Many people don’t know there’s a difference between palliative medicine and hospice care, but the two have separate roles in healthcare delivery.
Palliative medicine focuses on making patients comfortable, alleviating symptoms and coordinating care among the entire healthcare team. Ideally, palliative medicine begins when a patient is diagnosed with a chronic or major illness, but it can start at any stage of a patient’s illness. Palliative medicine can be
provided along with curative treatments the patient may be undergoing.
Hospice care is available when a patient is given a medical prognosis of less than six months. Patients may choose hospice when curative treatment is no longer effective and they no longer desire it.
For more information about palliative medicine, visit Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s Palliative Medicine Services online or contact us at (928) 775-5567.