Palliative Care
Wellstar Palliative Care supports patients as they experience life-threatening, chronic or advanced illnesses, helping create a greater quality of life. Our focus is addressing each patient's physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual health with compassion.
An Experience of Compassion
At Wellstar, our mission with palliative care is to honor human beings with compassion, adding to each individual’s quality of life as we provide personalized comfort.
Our palliative care professionals have created the most comprehensive program in Georgia to support these patients who deserve empathy at any stage of an illness or serious health challenge.
Wellstar’s board-certified doctors, nurse practitioners and social workers expertly address our patients’ specific individual needs. Our services are provided in the setting that serves you best, whether inpatient, outpatient or at home.
Customized Care, Tailored to Your Needs
Palliative care, inpatient hospice and in-home hospice care all provide comfort, though there are differences in these treatment types. Anyone at any age and any disease stage can turn to palliative care along with curative treatment.
It is a common belief that this kind of care is only helpful at the end of life. Unfortunately, this leads to palliative care reaching only a small fraction of those who could benefit from it throughout a severe illness. Palliative care complements and is available simultaneously with all other appropriate treatments during any illness stage, from the time of diagnosis to its final stages.
After the diagnosis of a serious, life-limiting illness, palliative care can be given alongside standard medical care to improve the patient's experience and outlook. The goals of palliative care include symptom management, education about the disease and advanced care planning. Most importantly, the palliative care team member helps the patient prioritize and create the kind of care they would prefer according to the patient's wishes. Hospice care, alongside continued palliative care, is recommended when a patient has six months left to live. Palliative care also provides bereavement support for families.
Inpatient Palliative Care
Inpatient palliative care is available at Wellstar Cobb, Wellstar Douglas, Wellstar Kennestone, Wellstar North Fulton, Wellstar Paulding, Wellstar Windy Hill hospitals and Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center.Outpatient Palliative Care
The Wellstar Palliative Medicine Clinic is housed within the Comprehensive Care Clinic and sees patients from many different experiences and backgrounds.At-Home Palliative Care
Wellstar offers comprehensive Palliative Care services for patients living in their own homes, at a relative's house or skilled nursing or assisted living facility. Team members provide medical support in managing distressing symptoms and education for patients to improve quality of life for patients and families.
Wellstar’s Approach
Wellstar Palliative Medicine is developing new approaches to treatment that focus on continuity of care, comfort, dignity and communication, including:
- Respect for your treatment choices and where you want to receive your care
- Expert treatment of pain and all other symptoms so you can get the best relief possible
- The ability to have honest and transparent discussions about all treatment options available
- Resources and support to enable you to control and manage your health care
- Coordination of care with all health care providers helps create a smooth transition
- Emotional support for you and your family
Explore Palliative Care
The Palliative Care team can work with patients in the setting that's right for them, whether in the hospital, in our dedicated outpatient clinic, or in their own home.
If you're interested in obtaining palliative care for yourself or a loved one in the Metro Atlanta area, we would be honored to assist you. Please ask your or your loved one's physician for a referral to a palliative care specialist.
The Next Stage of Care
A transition to hospice care occurs when a patient has six months, or less, to live. Hospice focuses on the patient’s and their caregivers' quality of life in the last phases of incurable disease with the goal of helping them live as comfortably as possible. Nurses can administer hospice care in the patient's home or a dedicated facility.Locations
Palliative Care
For patients dealing with a painful or serious illness, Augusta University Health provides palliative care services. We welcome patients from Augusta, Georgia, and all surrounding counties.
(706) 945-2564
Palliative Care | AU Health
About
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is a medical specialty that concentrates on caring for patients living with serious illnesses. It is appropriate for any age, at any stage of illness, as a way to help patients handle the challenges of day-to-day living.
Palliative care is not meant to replace other medical treatments; the focus is to improve your quality of life. This medical approach is most beneficial for helping you manage your symptoms in order to prevent unwanted hospitalizations.
When should I consider palliative care?
Palliative care should be considered if you suffer with pain or anxiety related to:
- Heart disease
- Lung disease
- Kidney disease
- Alzheimer's
- HIV/AIDS
- ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
- MS (multiple sclerosis)
- Parkinson's disease
- any other serious illness
How palliative care helps
The symptoms you experience from your illness can make life uncomfortable and sometimes difficult. Palliative care assists by providing relief from symptoms such as:
- Constipation
- Depression
- Difficulty sleeping
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Pain
- Shortness of breath
Palliative care vs. hospice care
Palliative care is not hospice care, palliative care focuses on helping patients manage the pain, symptoms, and stress of having a serious disease. In contrast, hospice care is in place to care for patients whose diagnosis is terminal.
If and when the time comes, your provider may suggest hospice to provide comfort care closer to the end of life. When this happens, our case management team works with you and your family to find comprehensive hospice care from one of our local hospice care centers.
How do I pay for my care?
Medicare and most private insurance companies cover palliative care. Patients are usually automatically referred to us, but if not, just ask for a referral from your doctor. We'll continue to work with your primary care physician - so rest assured - you will not have to give up your current doctor.
Our Approach
At AU Health, our goal is to support the total patient, providing relief from the physical (and the non-physical) symptoms that a disease may bring. Our experienced palliative care team is compassionate and knowledgeable, offering:
- Dedicated care teams: Palliative care is provided by a team of specially-trained doctors and nurses, as well as social workers, advanced practice providers, therapists, chaplains, and pharmacists, who work with you to determine the best plan of action for your specific situation.
- Counseling: We'll help you to better understand your condition so that you can make informed choices about your medical care. We're also here to counsel patients and families when making medical decisions becomes difficult.
- Emotional support: We know having a serious illness can be overwhelming. That's why we help you to develop the coping skills you need to manage how you are feeling and dealing with all aspects of your disease.
Palliative Care Services
- Inpatient consultation: Your physician, you (or a loved one) may request our help to manage complex symptoms. We will respect your choices when it comes to the decisions you make regarding treatment options. When you are ready to leave the hospital, we'll help you connect with ongoing services in a clinic, at home, or in a nursing facility.
- Outpatient clinics: After being discharged from the hospital, visits are coordinated to provide continued symptom management and medical treatment.
- Pediatric palliative care: Children's Hospital of Georgia has put together a special team of palliative care physicians who care for children suffering with serious illnesses.
Find Care
Augusta University Medical Center
1120 15th Street
Augusta, GA 30912
Services: Inpatient and outpatient care
Georgia Cancer Center
1411 Laney Walker Blvd.
Augusta, GA 30912
Services: Inpatient and outpatient care
Medical Office Building
1447 Harper Street
Augusta, GA 30912
Services: Outpatient care
Children's Hospital of Georgia
1446 Harper Street
Augusta, GA 30912
Services: Inpatient and outpatient care