“Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.
Palliative care is provided by a specially trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is based on the needs of the patient, not on the patient’s prognosis. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment.” Source: getpalliativecare.org
OACIS/Palliative Medicine is Lehigh Valley Health Network’s palliative care program. Our original name, OACIS (Optimizing Advanced Complex Illness Support), has changed to reflect our expanding services. Our team of doctors, certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNPs), social workers, nurses and other professionals offers services that will care for the whole person, not just your illness, in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Our program has been recognized on the national level for leadership excellence and as an innovative, mission-driven palliative care program. Our team recognizes the disparities in health care and strives to provide equitable and culturally sensitive care to patients and their families.
If you believe that you or your family member would benefit from palliative care, please speak to your provider for a referral. We will collaborate with your other specialists and primary care provider to offer comprehensive care.
More information about our three clinical practices:
Is palliative care right for me?
Take this quiz from getpalliativecare.org to help decide whether you should consider palliative care with LVHN
Take the quiz.