The Palliative Care Program at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics helps patients who are dealing with a terminal medical condition and their loved ones to deal with all of the issues that arise during the end-of-life process. Rick Dobyns, MD, family medicine specialist who directs the Palliative Care Program at UI Hospitals and Clinics, offers these comments .
Why is it important for UI Hospitals and Clinics to offer palliative care ?
It's important for all hospitals to offer palliative care; UI Hospitals and Clinics in particular because we are a comprehensive hospital that offers the complete range of medical care. When I introduce myself to patients and their families who need this specialized kind of health care I introduce myself as a "hospice doctor" since most Americans have come to understand the unique services offered by hospices.
Essentially palliative medicine is the same as hospice medicine; it's just called that when it's done in the hospital setting.
What do you consider the most important features of palliative care?
We focus on the aggressive management of symptoms and suffering rather than focusing on cure. You would think that modern medicine can do it all; that is, aggressively pursue cure while aggressively minimizing symptoms. However, many times the intensity of medical services necessary to optimize cure is very uncomfortable.
Which patients and families benefit from palliative care services?
Those patients that have complex and severe health problems where aggressive and highly technologic care may not be preferable. Palliative care is for those patients where the hope of cure is minimal but the hope for relief of suffering is obtainable.
What are some of the common misconceptions about palliative care?
Sometime people think that we can only be useful when death is inevitable and soon. We can offer much advice on how to combine the aggressive approaches afforded by high technology medicine and palliative medicine.
How can people learn about the Palliative Care Program?
Call our Palliative Care Program at 319-384-8690 to request more information from our staff. |
