Palliative care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) provides special medical care for patients with chronic diseases and advanced illnesses. It can be helpful through all stages of illness: making medical treatments more tolerable early on and, at later stages, reducing suffering as you live with a life-threatening illness. Our palliative care team incorporates the unique skills of a doctor, nurse practitioner, social worker, clergy and a case manager. The team helps patients manage pain and symptoms that affect quality of life. They also advise patients and families and open lines of communication as they make difficult decisions about care.
Palliative care differs from hospice care. A patient receiving palliative care can have both aggressive medical treatment and palliative care for symptoms. Hospice care focuses on comfort care instead of treating the illness. Bridge to Hospice, a program of Mass General Brigham Home Care, provides immediate home care support with preparation for support from hospice in the future.
Palliative Care Consultation
Palliative care consultation is available for patients with many diagnoses at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital.
Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center Adult Palliative Care Program
The Adult Palliative Care Program of Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center helps adults with cancer live as well as possible while facing serious illness.
Symptom Management
Palliative care can help with symptoms and side-effects:
- Depression
- Eating difficulties
- Fatigue
- Mobility
- Nausea
- Pain
- Shortness of breath
- Stress
Conditions
Palliative care can make a positive difference for people with:
- Cancer
- Dementia/Alzheimer’s disease
- Heart disease
- Kidney or liver failure
- Lung disease (Emphysema, COPD)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Newborn abnormalities
- Neurological conditions
