MEDICAL STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Ask the doctor: How would palliative care benefit my loved one? Mark Stavas, MD, of Southeast Nebraska Cancer Center is a radiation oncologist who also specializes in palliative medicine. Q: What is palliative care? Palliative care is a comfort and support specialty for people with advanced or complicated illnesses. Essentially, it is a team based approach to optimizing quality of life and mitigating suffering. The goal of palliative care is to encourage individuals to live fully until their last breath. Q: How is palliative care different from hospice: Hospice is a subset of palliative care that is intended specifically at the end of life. In contrast, palliative care can occur at any stage of a disease and can be provided alongside curative treatment. For instance, many patients in our oncology palliative care clinic are receiving chemotherapy and radiation. Q: What are common components of a palliative care clinic? • A holistic approach to the stress of illness (physical, psychosocial, spiritual). • Assessment and treatment of pain and physical symptoms. • Psychosocial support for families and care givers.
6 Winter 2020
