Palliative Care Program Celebrates One Year

On October 12, 2006, the CHS Palliative Care Consultation Service hosted an open house to celebrate its first year of operation.  The service received its first referral on Aug. 30, 2005, and the 12-month statistics have been impressive:

• 387 referrals averaging 7.5 a week
• 346 patients and families served
• Referrals from over 96 physicians
• Bereavement follow up to 189 family members of patients
• 18 specially trained volunteers provided 56 visits to 39 patients.

Contrary to popular belief, palliative care is not just about end-of-life patient care. The team can get involved fairly early on with a serious illness and help the patient and family evaluate curative courses of treatment. Team members also provide ongoing education and support for staff including medical residents and new graduate nurses.

CHS employees involved in the palliative care program are: Dennis Baker, Mike Bordofsky, Mark Gardner, Susan Gibson, Michael Kearney, Debra Rogers and Tianna Swede.

The Palliative Care Consultation Service is a partnership provided by CHS, Hospice of Santa Barbara, and Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Santa Barbara. Learn more here.

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