Palliative care aims to address the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual concerns that contribute to both the quality of life and quality of dying for patients with life-threatening illnesses at any phase of the disease. Inpatients at the Petrie Division of Beth Israel Medical Center are referred to the Department's consultation team. Outpatients are referred to a physician in the Department's ambulatory practice. The Jacob Perlow Hospice , which is administered by the Palliative Care Division, can also receive direct referrals of patients who meet criteria for a hospice program referral. The non-hospice palliative care patients, whether inpatient or outpatient, can be broadly divided into two categories.
Some patients have limited needs and can be managed in a traditional physician-based approach.
Ambulatory patients of this type are usually followed through periodic office visits. The initial evaluation for these patients often involves the physician, nurse, social worker, and possibly other members of the palliative care team. All patient cases are discussed at a weekly meeting where decisions are made about the best type of care that might be offered the patient. Patients who are already in the practice and are having active problems also are discussed. The services offered to the patient can be changed as needed to optimize care within the resources available to the Department and to the patient and family.