Palliative care services
At Sharp, we aim to provide care for patients by relieving suffering and offering support for the best quality of life, regardless of disease stage, age or need for other therapies. We offer this support through our palliative care services.
Conditions that can benefit from palliative care
Palliative care is a special type of medical care for people living with a serious illness. Palliative care helps provide relief from the symptoms of the illness, and can also significantly improve a patient’s quality of life. Palliative care can be given alongside curative treatment.
Palliative care is especially helpful for patients being treated for:
Alzheimer's disease
Liver failure
Renal failure
Spinal cord injuries
Other chronic conditions
Comfort care to relieve symptoms
Care may include but is not limited to:
Medication
Relaxation techniques and integrative therapies, such as aromatherapy, yoga and massage therapy
Emotional and spiritual support is also offered throughout our hospitals, such as Sharp Memorial Hospital and Sharp Grossmont Hospital
Our palliative care team is here for you
Palliative care can help lessen the stress on the patient’s family and other loved ones by serving as an extra layer of support.
Our expert palliative care team — including our medical director, nurse case manager, social worker and chaplain — works together with the patient, their family and doctor to address any physical, psychological, spiritual and practical needs you during the course of illness.
Our team will focus on managing the patient’s symptoms and stress with peace and dignity, while still receiving the life-prolonging treatments that may be needed.
The Advanced Illness Management (AIM) team provides inpatient palliative care to help relieve symptoms and pain that may accompany the disease or treatment. Along with pain management, our AIM specialists engage in meaningful conversations with the patient, their family and medical treatment team about the patient’s course of care, and ensure it aligns with the values and wishes of the patient and their family.
There are times when the comforts of home can have a valuable impact on the quality of a patient’s life as they go through treatment for a chronic illness. This is why we offer home-based palliative care services through our Transitions Advanced Illness Management Program. Just as in the hospital setting, patients who opt to receive palliative care at home will be surrounded by a team of experts who will visit the home to provide pain and symptom management, as well as help guide the the patient and their loved ones on advance health care planning, and other helpful resources.
Frequently asked questions about palliative care
Palliative care is available as an extra layer of care to complement a patient’s existing curative treatment. A patient can receive palliative care at any stage of their illness in order to provide relief from pain and symptoms that might occur due to their illness or treatment.
Hospice is another type of care for terminally ill patients who only have a few months to live. Those who are on hospice, tend to no longer receive curative treatment for their illness.
Sharp HealthCare accepts most insurance plans. Insurance may cover all or part of the palliative care treatment. Your palliative care team can discuss with you insurance and payment options.
Yes, you can continue to see your primary doctor while receiving palliative care. The palliative care team is intended to provide additional support and works in partnership with, not in place of, your primary doctor.
Palliative care services in San Diego
We offer palliative care services across San Diego — from East County to Kearny Mesa. Inpatient palliative care services are offered at our hospitals listed below. We also offer outpatient palliative care through our Transitions Advanced Illness Management program, which is managed by Sharp HospiceCare.
