HEALTAHR TCARE
Palliative Care: An Extra
Layer of Supp ort
for Serious Illness
By Rafael J. Sciullo
MAY/JUNE 2016
| TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 121
These days, you may be hearing
more about palliative care in
the news or in your community.
Palliative care, also known as
comfort care, is a specialized medical
field dedicated to improving quality of
life for people of all ages with serious
illnesses and their families.
Nationally, palliative care has climbed
significantly in recent years. “In 2000,
less than one-quarter of U.S. hospitals
(658) had a palliative care program,
compared with nearly three-quarters
(1,744) in 2013. If current trends continue,
by 2017, eight in ten U.S. hospitals with
50 or more beds will have a palliative
care program,” according to a recent
snapshot by the Center to Advance
Palliative Care (CAPC). This forecasted
growth primarily is in response to the
rise in aging older populations with
chronic illnesses and greater healthcare
needs.
What does palliative care do and how can
it benefit you or a loved one?
Palliative care teams provide a
specialized approach of expertise and
support to treat all aspects of pain and
distress of serious diseases of any kind
or stage. It’s a relatively new, growing
medical specialty; physician board
certifications in palliative care started in
2008. While often equated with hospice
care, palliative care may be provided for
many years and integrated in hospice
care, which comforts those nearing the
last stages of illness and life.
In palliative care, you don’t have
to give up curative treatment. This
additional holistic care is driven by your
(ARNPs) will collaborate with you and
your family and doctors on your care
goals and plans. A physician referral is
needed before you receive palliative care
services, which we can help obtain for
you.
Our teams of expert clinicians,
counselors, social workers and spiritual
care coordinators, along with speciallytrained
palliative arts volunteers, will
embrace your whole well-being and do
everything possible to honor your needs,
culture and wishes. They can educate
you on your disease prognosis and
management, care options and advance
care planning; coordinate care with
all your healthcare providers; review
and order appropriate medication;
assist you in identifying community
resources; and provide you pain and
symptom management, emotional and
spiritual counseling and integrative
therapies, such as massage, music and
Reiki, for extra comfort. Your family also
can receive essential information and
support to ease their concerns, emotions
and burdens.
A serious illness can be a long, difficult
journey. We’re here to support you in
every way with compassion, openness,
understanding and extraordinary care.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Rafael J. Sciullo is
president and CEO of Empath Health, a
nonprofit integrated network of care for
those affected by chronic or advanced illness.
For more information about services, call
(727) 467-7423 or visit EmpathHealth.org.
Rafael J. Sciullo
choices so you maintain your comfort
and independence. The earlier you
access it after a diagnosis, the more you
and your family will benefit. Findings
have shown it can reduce pain, stress,
depression and other ailments; yield
better treatment outcomes, including
longer life in some circumstances; and
decrease hospitalizations, emergency
room visits and medical costs. It also has
been found that more people are likely to
discuss their end-of-life care preferences,
as well as die at home, which most of us
desire.
Empath Health offers palliative care
services and consults in partnership
with community hospitals, outpatient
clinics and long-term care facilities. Care
may also be provided in private homes.
Our board-certified physicians and
advanced registered nurse practitioners