Outpatient palliative care program to open in Dover

Bayhealth will expand its palliative care services program this spring when an outpatient palliative care program opens at 103 Wolf Creek Blvd., Suite 2 in Dover. The program has continued to grow since it launched in the inpatient setting at the Kent Campus in 2016 and at the Sussex Campus in 2017. Patients will soon have access to half-day clinics on Mondays and Thursdays. Any hospital provider and community physician can refer patients to the program.

Palliative care is medical care for patients suffering from the pain and symptoms stemming from a serious illness. Palliative care isn’t hospice, nor is it end-of-life care. Rather it’s a service that aims to help quell a patient’s suffering and improve the quality of their life regardless of the stage of the illness. More specifically, palliative care provides relief from symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, and fatigue. It also helps patients better understand their condition and choices and improve their ability to live their life. “We’re incredibly proud of the growth we’ve seen with palliative care at Bayhealth,” says Nurse Practitioner Theresa LatorreTegtmeier. “This is a much-needed service that we’re providing to our community, and it ties into our strategic goal of growing and developing quality programs across the region.”

There are several patients in the community who are chronically ill. This is precisely why Director of Patient Care Services Sharon Urban says outpatient palliative care is a needed service. “People are living longer, but at the same time so many people are living with chronic diseases and are chronically ill. We’re here to help them manage their symptoms and live the best life they can. It’s wonderful that we’re able to offer this to the community,” Urban said.

“With this change, we’re offering patients the ability to continue care outside of the hospital. Currently there’s a lack of resources in the community, and we’re hoping to fill that hole with our resources,” says Clinical Nurse Specialist Jessica Taylor. In the future, the Palliative Care team, which also includes Nurse Practitioner Suzette Flores, plans to provide outpatient services in Milford. ■

TALK TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN TO SEE IF YOU’RE A CANDIDATE FOR PALLIATIVE CARE AT BAYHEALTH. VISIT BAYHEALTH.ORG/PALLIATIVE-CARE FOR MORE INFORMATION.