Breaking Down Stigmas Around Palliative Care For patients with cancer, heart failure, dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, strokes, and many other serious illnesses, robust data correlate early palliative care with reduced hospitalization, higher survival rates, improved pain management, lower medical costs, better mental health, and improved quality of life. However, despite that bounty of advantages, only a fraction of our patients who would benefit from early palliative care actually get it. In addition to other access barriers, the pervasive misconception remains that palliative care equals hospice. In a recent article for Oncology News Central, Thyme Care's medical director for palliative care Dr. Julia Frydman and American Oncology Network chief medical officer Dr. Stephen "Fred" Divers break down the clinician and patient stigmas around palliative care, highlight the benefits of early adoption during cancer treatment, and the industry trends moving palliative care to the forefront of healthcare delivery. 📰 Read the full article here: Stigmas About Palliative Care Are Harming Our Seriously Ill Patients https://lnkd.in/g73fXdvS
One response, consider health literacy. We have been trying to explain palliative care since rolling out as a program of care in the early 90’s. If the words palliative care have to be explained, we are not doing justice to the public we are trying to serve. And furthermore, with professionals not agreeing on definitions, how are consumers to understand?
Wonderful and important article.
Thanks for sharing Thyme Care.
Medical Director, Health Equity and Community Engagement, Tennessee Oncology
1moJust rounded on some patients in local hospital at end of clinic. One of the patients is seen by our amazing outpatient palliative care team. Patient states a separate inpatient palliative care team came by and scared the living crap out of him and he was balling for hours afterward. No coordination with our outpatient palliative team. A lot to unpack from this example in terms of how WE are contributing to the stigma and confusion about this service that, when executed correctly in a patient centered and longitudinal fashion, can be a critical help to guide patients on their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual journey.