Supportive Care Medicine - Palliative Care

When supportive care medicine is consulted to assist, you will remain under the care of your own doctors. The program works with your healthcare team to help manage your pain and any other symptoms. Team members also can address things like advance healthcare planning to make sure that you are getting the types of care that fit your personal goals and values.

If you need additional support as a result of an advanced illness, Supportive Care Medicine might be able to help. Examples of conditions with which the program provides assistance:

Supportive Care Medicine team members are experts at managing your pain and other effects of your illness. Other symptoms they can assist with include nausea, sleeping problems and feeling sad, tired or worried. The team will work closely with your primary doctor and your other specialists to help you deal with any healthcare issues that are caused by the treatments you are getting.

The team can make sure you are making the right choices for your care by bringing everyone together to talk about your condition, giving you a chance to ask questions of your doctors and decide what is best for you.

Improving your mood and relieving stress will help you feel better. The program's clinical social workers and chaplains are ready to talk with you about spiritual, social or financial matters so you can achieve greater piece of mind during your treatment. They can also find support groups that are a good fit for you.

Your care providers and family members should know your goals, preferences and choices about your healthcare. Supportive Care Medicine team members have expertise in advance care planning. Working with you and your loved ones, team members will take the time to listen, answer questions and guide you toward completing your own advance directive.

As an additional resource to you, Cedars-Sinai offers a free advance care planning class each month that provides an introduction to the topic. Discussion topics may include: how to designate someone to speak for you if you are unable to make your own healthcare decisions, how to discuss priorities and wishes with your family, and how to figure out what is most important to you in the event your health worsens.