Palliative care offers a patient-centered approach to healthcare, focusing on improving the quality of life for individuals and their families facing serious illnesses. It addresses not only the physical symptoms but also the emotional, spiritual, and social needs of the patient. For those seeking comprehensive support, Palliative Care Programs provide a vital resource.
Palliative care is for anyone, at any age, and at any stage in a serious illness, whether that illness is curable, chronic, or life-threatening. It can be provided alongside curative treatment. The goal of palliative care programs is to relieve suffering and improve quality of life for both the patient and their family.
Our Vision for Palliative Care
We envision a healthcare landscape where comfort and quality of life are central to the care of individuals facing illness or injury. We believe that illness, caregiving, death, and grief are natural parts of life and should be approached with compassion and understanding within families and communities. Palliative care programs play a crucial role in realizing this vision.
Mission of Palliative Care Programs
Our mission is to provide comprehensive and compassionate palliative care to patients and families facing life-limiting illnesses. We strive to improve their comfort, dignity, and overall well-being through personalized care plans and dedicated support services. Effective palliative care programs are essential to achieving this mission.
The Jack Byrne Center: A Model for Inpatient Palliative Care
For residents in the Upper Valley area of New Hampshire and Vermont, the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care exemplifies excellence in short-term, inpatient palliative care. This center offers specialized services close to home, providing a supportive environment for patients needing intensive palliative care. The Jack Byrne Center is a testament to the impact of dedicated palliative care programs.
Learn more about the Jack Byrne Center.
Dartmouth Health Palliative Care Program: Commitment to Excellence
The Dartmouth Health Palliative Care Program is deeply committed to enhancing the comfort and quality of life for patients and families grappling with life-limiting illnesses or injuries and complex medical needs. Serving Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the Dartmouth Alliance, and regional providers, this program advances its mission through:
- Exemplary Clinical Care: Providing and modeling the highest standards of palliative care.
- Research and Innovation: Engaging in research to further the field of palliative care and improve patient outcomes.
- Education and Training: Educating healthcare professionals, trainees, and the community about best practices in palliative care.
- Community Engagement: Participating in local initiatives to expand access to and improve the quality of palliative care in the region.
This program continuously strives for excellence, proactively identifying patients who would benefit from specialized palliative interventions and consistently enhancing the quality of care and clinical services offered. The Dartmouth Health palliative care program serves as a regional leader in this vital field.
Comprehensive Supportive Care and Understanding
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Our primary goal is to deliver comprehensive, supportive care across various healthcare settings, ensuring seamless transitions and consistent support:
- Home-Based Care: Providing palliative care services in the comfort of patients’ homes.
- Hospitalization Support: Integrating palliative care into hospital settings to manage symptoms and improve patient experience.
- Hospice Care Transitions: Facilitating smooth transitions to hospice care when appropriate, ensuring continuity of support.
- Outpatient Clinic Services: Offering ongoing palliative care and support in outpatient clinic settings.
Our palliative care team is comprised of compassionate professionals with diverse expertise, dedicated to supporting individuals and families through challenging times. These interdisciplinary teams are the backbone of effective palliative care programs.
The team includes:
- Specialized palliative care physicians, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses
- Experienced medical social workers and grief counselors
- Healing arts practitioners to address holistic needs
- Non-denominational spiritual care coordinators for spiritual and emotional support
- Carefully vetted and trained community volunteers
- Creative Arts Specialists who utilize art as a therapeutic tool
Who Can Benefit from Palliative Care Programs?
Palliative care programs are designed to provide personalized services, resources, and support for patients facing a wide spectrum of medical challenges. These programs are beneficial for individuals living with:
- Cancer, at any stage and type
- Cardiac conditions such as heart failure and heart valve issues
- Complex medical or surgical conditions requiring extended or repeated hospitalizations
- Neurological disorders like stroke and ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
- Any serious illness that may significantly impact quality of life or life expectancy for the patient and their family.
It is important to note that palliative care is not limited to end-of-life care. Patients often receive palliative care alongside other medical treatments, including intensive care, advanced cardiac care, and specialized cancer treatments like innovative clinical trials. Palliative care programs are designed to complement and enhance, not replace, curative treatments.
Research has consistently demonstrated that receiving palliative care concurrently with other medical treatments leads to improved quality of life for patients and their caregivers. It also results in better symptom management and, in some cases, has been shown to improve survival rates. Investing in and utilizing palliative care programs offers significant benefits to patients and healthcare systems alike.
Please see our Services page for a detailed list of services provided to patients and families.
