FY23 St. Joseph Palliative Care Impact Report

Thank You for Supporting Palliative Care

Thanks to generous donors like you, in the past two years PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation has distributed more than $1 million to support a full spectrum of care for seriously, chronically and terminally ill patients in Whatcom County. This includes $23,868 raised by St. Joseph and distributed to Whatcom Hospice Foundation for the benefit of local hospice patients and families. Philanthropic support of our Palliative Care program provides patients relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness, improving the quality of life for both the patient and their circle of loved ones. Our inpatient and outpatient palliative care teams help with symptom management, provide emotional support, and facilitate conversations around future healthcare needs. Most often, palliative care is delivered alongside curative treatment. As curative options narrow, patients receive earlier hospice referrals so they can fully benefit from the many services that Whatcom Hospice has to offer.

Palliative Care has already made a tremendous difference in our community, and we are preparing for future growth. Whatcom County’s 65-and-over population is growing, which means that more neighbors and loved ones are at risk for serious and complex illnesses. PeaceHealth is investing significant time and resources to ensure that our Palliative Care programs across the PeaceHealth system continue to grow and improve as we provide compassionate care to those in need.

Thank you for believing in our vision of empowering seriously ill patients to live as well as possible, for as long as possible. We are so grateful!

Inpatient Palliative Care

The Inpatient Palliative Care team served nearly 1,000 St. Joseph Medical Center patients in FY22, and the program is growing to ensure that as many PeaceHealth patients as possible understand their range of options to create the medical care experience that aligns most closely with their personal goals of care. This includes identifying who should have a voice at the table, exploring what matters most to patients and their loved ones, and considering and documenting their wishes for future care.

We recently added staff in social work and nursing care, and doubled the time that our chaplain is available. Your gifts enable new staff members to attend state-of-the-art Palliative Care trainings.

Throughout 2022 the team has provided palliative care services at the St. Joseph Cancer Center and weekly visits to United General in Sedro-Woolley. Our palliative care nurse in the Emergency Department helps to coordinate with several community agencies and programs serving patients who frequently access emergency care or who are underresourced. We are gearing up to provide a daily presence in the Intensive Care Unit and palliative care services at select PeaceHealth clinics such as cardiology, pulmonology, and nephrology.

Your support is making a difference in our community. Thank you!

Outpatient Palliative Care Team Members

Outpatient Palliative Care

The Outpatient Palliative Care team sends a HUGE THANK YOU for helping to establish the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Outpatient Palliative Care program in Whatcom County! Since the program began in 2018 we have served 808 patients in their own homes, and hundreds more in our PeaceHealth clinics. Currently 139 patients are receiving care from our team.

Your philanthropic support provides:

 Medication Assistance – for medications not covered by insurance or those with prohibitively expensive copays

 In-Home Services – including hourly caregiving for patients with mobility issues

 Financial Assistance – to remove barriers to better health by covering the costs of medical equipment, wheelchairs, crutches, blood testing strips, fans, nebulizers, transportation and nutritious food

 Complementary Therapies – like acupuncture and massage to alleviate troubling physical symptoms such as pain and nausea that often accompany serious or chronic illness

1,000 Palliative Care Inpatients served in FY22

209 Palliative Care Outpatients served in 2022

$1,050,424 distributed to support Hospice & Palliative Care services in FY21 & FY22

Your heartfelt dedication to the health of your community is evident with every gift you make.

The Power of Your Giving

has limited financial means, no local family members and limited social support from friends and neighbors.

Since the start of his time on Palliative Care, our physician has made recommendations to help Stuart’s pain. His nurse has helped clarify his medications, and she communicates with his primary care provider. Our social worker has helped Stuart apply for state financial assistance and our patient navigator has delivered some medical equipment. Without your help, none of this critical support would have been available to Stuart.