Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine

Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine can begin when you are diagnosed or at any point during your treatment of a life threatening or life limiting illness. Our team will get to know you and develop a customized palliative care plan to help manage your specific symptoms—with a focus on your comfort, quality of life and well-being. Your palliative care plan will be updated, as your care needs change.

A Specialized Team To Help You And Your Family

If you have multiple medical conditions, your care team will include the right specialists to make sure you receive the most convenient, comprehensive care. Your supportive palliative medicine team may also include chaplains, social workers and mental health experts, who can help you and your loved ones cope with the emotional challenges that come with a serious illness.

What is Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine?

Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine is a unique program that focuses on the complete management of the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and families living with progressive, life-limiting illnesses, regardless of life expectancy or treatment options.

Our Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine team respects your culture, rituals and family traditions and supports your decisions. Our goal is to help with symptom management and offer practical support for patients and families.

UPMC in Central Pa. Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine Offers:

• Active total care for you or a loved one if your disease is not responding to treatment aimed at a cure
• Patients and families coordinated information so they actively participant in their care plan
• Better outcomes through understanding of the illness and options for treatment
• Smoother transitions for patients and their loved ones
• Consultation at any point along a care plan; at diagnosis or as the disease progresses
• This service is available at all three acute care hospital and select outpatient office. See locations below more information.

Palliative Care Can Include:

• Treatment of pain
• Treatment of physical symptoms that may come from disease or disease treatment, such as fatigue, nausea, constipation, poor sleep, loss of appetite and weight loss
• Treatment of emotional symptoms, such as depression and anxiety

Benefits of Palliative Care:

• Ongoing Care
• Team Approach. Our doctors, nurses and therapists coordinate efforts to address your specific goals
• Pain and Symptom Management
• Emotional Support

Who can benefit from Palliative Care?

You or a loved one may benefit from Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine if you have life-limiting symptoms of:

• Cancer - Palliative medicine is intended to prevent and relieve the suffering of cancer patients in any stage of the disease or treatment plan.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Dementia
• Heart disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Kidney disease
• Life limiting Trauma
• Life limiting stroke
• Liver disease
• Neurological trauma

UPMC Pinnacle Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine specializes in symptom management in the inpatient and outpatient setting. We see referred patients or patients transitioning from the inpatient to outpatient setting. If you are interested in learning more about this service, please call our office 717-988-0611.

Contact Us

Need more information?
Phone: 717-988-0611
Fax: 717-231-8778

More information on Supportive and Palliative Medicine for heart failure patients

Learn about Preparing Advance Directives

Providers

• Alexis B. Aaronson, CRNP
• Poonam Agarwal, CRNP
• Allison J. Chan, DO
• Leah Dawson, CRNP
• Robin Marie Hicks, DO
• Heather Kessler, CRNP
• Maria Leech, CRNP
• Christa Massak, CRNP
• Elsa Montoya Aguilar, MD
• Elyse Potter, CRNP
• Amanda M. Shandor, CRNP
• Sonia Yoo, DO

Locations

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
2 Jennifer Court
Suite C
Carlisle, PA 17015

UPMC Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine
Medical Sciences Pavilion
4300 Londonderry Road
Lower Level
Harrisburg, PA 17109

UPMC Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine
Medical Office Building 1
2025 Technology Parkway
Suite 207
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050

UPMC Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine
UPMC Outpatient Center
2020 Technology Parkway
Suite 3200
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050

UPMC Supportive Care and Palliative Medicine
2150 Noll Drive
Suite 200
Lancaster, PA 17603

UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
1703 Innovation Drive
Suite 2001
York, PA 17408