PeaceHealth Southwest Enhances Palliative Care Program

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center has named Glen Patrizio, MD to the new position of Medical Director of Palliative Care Services. The palliative program is also adding a new primary care program coordinator, and transitioning from a nursing model (run by nurse coordinators) to a physician-led consult service, ensuring PeaceHealth remains well positioned to deliver outstanding palliative care to our community.

What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care patients are seriously ill. PeaceHealth Southwest’s palliative program focuses on providing them relief from both the symptoms and the stress of their illness. “Palliative care patients are dealing with life-changing medical issues,” said Dr. Patrizio. “This program guides our treatment in a very patient-centric way. We talk with them and listen carefully to their wishes.”

Enhanced Care
“The goal of palliative care is to enhance quality of life for both the patient and their family” said John Singletary, Director of HomeCare, Hospice, and Palliative Care at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. “It’s vitally important that we help our palliative patients deal with issues that prevent them from fully enjoying their lives. Whether it’s chronic pain or a disability caused by their disease, we help them overcome their obstacles.”

Advanced Care
“It can be hard for patients to keep up with advances in health care that might be beneficial to the treatment of their chronic disease,” said Dr. Patrizio. “Our new physician-led program will help strengthen that connection, to make sure our palliative care patients are getting the best care for their situation.”

Coordination
PeaceHealth Southwest’s palliative care program has evolved over its ten-year history to meet changing patient needs. As the palliative care team grows, the program remains focused on streamlining coordination across services including Care Management and Spiritual Care.

Living Longer
Palliative care can bring positive outcomes beyond quality of life, including shorter hospital stays, fewer hospital re-admissions, and - perhaps most surprising – longer lives for patients. “It seems to defy logic, but medical studies are revealing that patients who bypass the traditional heroic measures of extending life – surgeries, powerful medications, and hospitalization – are often living longer,” said Dr. Patrizio. “It’s a wonderful revelation. Palliative care is a blend of science, art, and spirituality, and the idea that our program can help people live longer, better lives suggests that quality of life is itself a powerful medicine.” For more information about PeaceHealth Southwest’s palliative care program, call 360-514-3004 or visit www.peacehealth.org/southwest/bridges-palliative-care.

About PeaceHealth Southwest
The region’s health care leader and steward for 155 years, PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center is a community-owned, not-for-profit, 450-bed, medical institution located in Vancouver, Washington. Repeatedly recognized nationally as a 100 Top Hospital, PeaceHealth Southwest provides a full range of outpatient and inpatient diagnostic, medical, and surgical services to Clark County residents. PeaceHealth Southwest is also one of Clark County’s largest employers with 3,400 employees and 600 active medical staff members that help support dozens of medical specialty services and programs, including cancer, heart, emergency, trauma, neuro-musculoskeletal, family birth, and primary care.