Innovis Health Palliative Care Program
Palliative Care at Innovis Health involves a multidisciplinary focus on the 3 C's: comfort, communication and choices. Our goal for each patient is to emphasize the centrality of symptom management, actively listen, clearly communicate healthcare information, provide support for the whole person and whom they call their "family," and to offer discussion about goals, wishes, options and resources.
Palliative Care is primarily available to hospitalized individuals, but we also provide education regarding healthcare directives on an outpatient basis. Our team will work with a patient's doctors, nurses, and other staff to address questions, problem-solve symptom management issues, facilitate communication, discuss options, provide education, and most importantly, provide support and continuity.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative Care focuses on reducing symptoms caused by illness and its treatment. It provides support to patients and families during times of illness, transition and loss, and also assists families in providing support to patients and one another.
- Palliative Care services are pertinent to all Innovis Health patients and families
- Patients do not have to be in the end of life stages for palliative care to follow them
All hospice care is palliative care, but NOT all palliative care is hospice care.
Palliative Care Referrals
Reasons a patient may be referred to the Palliative Care program may include the following:
- Repeated admissions for advanced illness
- Difficult symptom management
- Unresponsive patients
- Differences between patient and/or family about treatment plan
- Lack of response to curative treatment
- Changing goals of care
- Terminal diagnosis
- Hospice care candidate
- Challenging family dynamics
- Patients with no clear plan of care
It’s important to know that anyone can make a referral to have the care of a patient and loved one placed into our program.
Palliative Care Team Members
Dr. Kristina Schlecht - Medical Director
Dr. Schlecht specializes in medication and treatment recommendations to relieve pain and other symptoms for our patients.
Joe Halvorson, RN – Palliative Care Coordinator
Joe assists in screening patients and coordinates team members in our patient’s care. He acts as physician liaison and has advanced training in managing symptoms.
Scott Curfman - Chaplain
Chaplain Scott has advanced training in offering spiritual and emotional support, counseling, and coping strategies for patients and families according to their faith and individual needs.
Case Manager/Social Worker
The case manager or social worker will assist patients and families with lifestyle changes, hospital discharge planning and coordination of community resources.
Julie Bubach & Joni Viets - Pharmacists
Our pharmacists will provide consultation for pain/symptom management and will review and explain the patient’s medication profile.
Individualized Holistic Care
Our goal is to give patients and their families as much control as possible in the decision making process. We provide the patient and family with information that includes health issues, prognosis, and options, and we also make sure to ask patient and family what they want in terms of care. Our team will advocate for patient choices and will not judge patients and families based on the decisions they make.
We are here to provide support and comfort, offer an interdisciplinary approach to challenges, review symptoms, assist in deciding plan of care options, and to discuss any fears and hopes of the patient and family.
Learn More
Download this brochure from the National Institute of Nursing Research for more information on palliative care.