Palliative medicine in Manchester, New Hampshire
Our palliative care team works with your doctors to provide you with extra support.
At Catholic Medical Center, we work to meet your needs through supplemental care aimed at alleviating all forms of discomfort. Palliative care is based on your comfort, not your prognosis, and can be provided alongside curative treatment.
Conditions that palliative medicine treats
Palliative care is not the same as hospice care. It can be for anyone at any stage of illness, regardless of potential treatment outcomes. Above all, palliative care is meant to provide relief from the symptoms and stress of serious conditions, such as:
- Cancer
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Congestive heart failure (CHF)
- Dementia
- Heart disease
- Respiratory disease
Services our palliative care team provides
We strive to effectively use palliative care to help improve your quality of life and relieve your symptoms.
What palliative care offers
As opposed to hospice, palliative care goes along with curative treatment, ensuring personalized care for you, not just your condition. The goal is simply to help you live better.
A palliative care referral may be right for you if you:
- Are having difficulty with a symptom
- Have been hospitalized more than two times in six months
- Have been in the intensive care unit (ICU) for over one week
- Have to make a difficult decision about your healthcare
- Need help understanding an illness
Interdisciplinary care team
Our team can help you make choices that benefit your health needs. Palliative care can include the guidance and treatment from a variety of specialists determined to help meet your needs and goals. This team may include:
- Chaplains
- Nurse practitioners
- Nurses
- Physicians
- Social workers
- Therapists
FAQs about palliative care
What can I expect from palliative care?
We work with you during times of serious illness to help relieve concerning, associated symptoms, such as pain or fatigue. Palliative care also offers improved communication, more control over your care, coping assistance and a dedicated team that matches your treatment choices to your goals.
Will my insurance cover palliative care?
Most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover all or part of palliative care. If costs concern you, your palliative care team can have a social worker or financial consultant guide you through your payment options.
Do I have to give up my doctor?
No. The palliative care team works with the physicians, nurses and specialists who are currently treating you.
Does palliative care mean that I have to stop treatment?
Absolutely not. You can have palliative care at the same time as curative treatment. Palliative care will help you be more informed and feel more empowered with making decisions regarding your care and treatment.