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Palliative Care
FMC Palliative Care focuses on improving the quality of life for patients living with serious illnesses.
The focus is on:
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Relieving physical pain and symptoms
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Helping with difficult decision making
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Providing emotional support
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Greater than 6 months prognosis
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Undergoing curative treatment
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Any stage of disease
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May be accessing skilled long term care days
Services:
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Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants
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Physicians
VS
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Less than 6 months prognosis
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Excludes curative treatment
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Increases quality of life
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Pain and symptom management
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Caregiver support
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Emotional and Spiritual Support
Services:
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Hospice Team
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RNs, LVNs, Home Health Aides, Spiritual Caregivers, Social Workers, Volunteers
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Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants
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Pharmacy
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Medical Equipment
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24-hour support
Benefits of Palliative Care
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FMC Palliative Care is home based. We visit patients and their families wherever they are, including private homes or facilities, such as assisted living and nursing homes
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Helping prevent repeated hospital stays and ER visits
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Helping patients understand their illness and care options
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Educating about medications, diet, and lifestyle changes
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Making the patient comfortable by alleviating anxiety, physical pain, and symptoms
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Supporting coordinated care in partnership with the patient’s physician
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Considering all needs: medical, physical, emotional, and spiritual
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Reducing family stress
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Bringing comfort and peace
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Alleviating suffering
Diagnoses include
(but are not limited to):
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Cancer
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Congestive heart failure
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COPD
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Kidney failure
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Liver failure
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Neurological Disease (ALS, CVA, Parkinson's Disease, Dementia)
Patients may also be experiencing the following:
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Pain or discomfort
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Shortness of breath
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Fatigue
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Lack of appetite
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Nausea
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