First Outpatient Palliative Care Center On Long Island Opens
September 28, 2010
 |
(West Islip, N.Y.) – Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center has expanded its palliative care services into the community with the recent opening of its Outpatient Palliative Care Center, located at 15 Park Avenue in Bay Shore. The first of its kind on Long Island, it offers patients and families a forum to receive the physical, emotional and spiritual support for improved quality of life.
When a person learns that he or she is sick or experiences constant pain from an illness, depression can set in. According to a study recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine, this has been found to shorten life. Patients whose pain is treated often sleep better, eat better and communicate more with relatives. Since 2004, Good Samaritan Hospital has had a comprehensive palliative care program, which has grown to a hospital-wide consultation service with a dedicated Acute Palliative Care Unit. The 11-bed unit is the only dedicated palliative care unit in Suffolk County and offers an interdisciplinary team approach.
Patient- and family-centered palliative care optimizes quality of life by anticipating, preventing and treating suffering. Palliative care is not limited to the terminally ill or dying. Anyone with a serious, life-limiting or chronic illness can benefit from palliative care, which can extend from a few hours to several years. There is often confusion between palliative care and hospice care; the key difference is that with palliative care, an individual may be receiving active curative therapy. Palliative care includes aggressive symptom management, emotional support and assistance.
Anyone can refer a patient for palliative care services, preferably at an early stage of treatment. Once a referral is made, a nurse will visit the patient to discuss the options for care. Then an interdisciplinary team–comprised of certified palliative care physicians, certified palliative care registered nurses, medical social workers, physical and occupational therapists, spiritual counselors, registered dieticians and home health aides–work closely to determine how to best address the patient’s needs for comfort care and support. The patient and family members are considered vital members of the team.
For more information about Good Samaritan’s palliative care services or to make a referral, please call (631) 376-4444.
Posted by News LI Editor · Filed Under Society
Have a press release or local story you would like us to review? Let us know about it!
| You can Bookmark & Share this page by clicking here: |
|
More Long Island News
-
Long Island Exchange is the leading resource on Long Island New York for news and business. Find Long Island news, check local weather, real estate, classifieds, and used car listings for Long Island.
News Comments for this Article
Got something to say? Be sure you've read and understand our (Terms of Service)
You may not post any unlawful, threatening, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. All comments should be relevant to the topic and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. You are solely responsible for your own comments, the consequences of posting those comments, and the consequences of any reliance by you on the comments of others. More... |
