Palliative Care

If you or a loved one is living with a serious illness, you may need additional support to develop the right medical treatment plan for you. At Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, we offer comprehensive palliative care to help you and your family live more comfortably.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious, life-limiting illnesses. Our experienced professionals help relieve pain and other forms of suffering and create a treatment plan that makes sense for you.

You can receive palliative care:

• At any age
• At any stage of illness
• Along with medical treatments to cure or treat your illness

Our goal is to improve quality of life for you and your family by reducing the stress of living with illness — whatever the diagnosis.

Is palliative care right for me?

Our team can help you develop a care plan that supports the decisions you and your family must make during your illness. Consider palliative care if you need help with:

• Understanding your diagnosis and treatment options
• Managing pain and other symptoms
• Making complex decisions about medical treatments that reflect your preferences
• Developing your advance care planning documents
• Coordinating your care among multiple care settings
• Addressing you as a whole person regarding concerns about your illness

How do I receive palliative care services?

Anyone who is admitted to a Virginia Mason Franciscan Health hospital can request a palliative care consult through your care team. Our care is available where you need it: the comfort of your own home or in the hospital.

Our specialized palliative care team

Our team of medical professionals works closely with your physicians and other health care team members. We visit patients to help:

• Manage your pain and symptoms
• Discuss what you can expect as your illness progresses
• Help you make informed choices with dignity

Referral to hospice care

If you need hospice care, our palliative care team can help you, your family and your physician know when that time is right and coordinate care with our hospice team.

Contact us

To start palliative care services, call 1-866-969-7028. For more information, call 1-800-338-8305.