When your loved one is admitted to the hospital and can benefit from our services, please request a consult through your primary team.
The Palliative Care Service at Boston Medical Center is an interdisciplinary service that will help you and your family live as well as you can when facing a serious or life-threatening illness. Our team will work collaboratively with you and your primary care provider, hospital specialists, nurses, chaplains and social worker at any stage of your illness; while you are receiving curative or life-prolonging treatments or if you are seriously ill.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care focuses special attention to the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs of patients and their loved ones who are living with life-threatening illnesses. Comfort, preserving dignity, and promoting quality of life are all important. Palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness and integrated with all other medical treatments.
Services Provided
Treatment to relieve pain and other symptoms
Palliative treatments focus on bringing pain and other burdensome symptoms (nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue, etc.) under control to maximize your quality of life
Emotional and spiritual support
Serious illness can be frightening, sad, lonely, and stressful for both patients and their loved ones. We can help foster a setting to improve how you can support each other through the illness.
Excellent communication and coordination of care
Often times, information about the illness and care can be confusing and overwhelming. We can serve as a resource for you and your loved ones to discuss concerns and questions.
Assist and support treatment choices and decisions
Deciding on future treatments often can be difficult and complex. We can help you and your loved ones discuss concerns about future care while respecting your values and personal choices.
Help in planning for care after the hospital
There are several options for care outside of the hospital. We can serve as a resource to help you and your loved ones choose the most appropriate arrangement of services, based on symptom and psychosocial needs, personal preferences, and community resources.
Inpatient Care
Palliative care is offered to patients in the hospital in the Menino Pavilion (840 Harrison Avenue) inpatient unit.
Donations
Donations to the Boston Medical Center Palliative Care will help to support patients and their families. To designate your donation to Palliative Care, select “Other” next to “Designate to,” click “Add comment,” and type in Palliative Care.
You may also mail your contribution (and make check payable to): Palliative Care
Boston Medical Center
Office of Development
960 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02118
Thank you for your support.
For More Information
Please call: 617.414.7591 to learn more, or contact your healthcare provider.