It Takes a Team: The People Behind Hospice & Palliative Care
By Natalie Petersen, Pathways Director of Business Development
When people think about hospice, they often picture a nurse making visits. While nursing care is an essential part of hospice, exceptional care is made possible by an entire team of professionals working together to support both the patient and those who love them.
Long before care begins with Pathways, our Patient Access team, including Community and Clinical Liaisons, Admissions Coordinators, and Admissions Nurses, helps answer questions, coordinate services, and ensure patients and families feel informed, supported, and prepared from the very first conversation.
For patients receiving hospice care, an interdisciplinary team works together to provide comprehensive support. Depending on the patient's needs, that team may include a Registered Nurse Case Manager, hospice aide, social worker, chaplain, Medical Director, nurse practitioners, volunteers, music therapists, and Grief & Loss specialists. Together, they develop an individualized plan of care and meet regularly to ensure care evolves as the patient's needs change.
Patients receiving palliative care are led by our experienced Nurse Practitioners, who partner closely with primary care providers and specialists to manage symptoms, improve quality of life, and help patients navigate serious illness. Social workers and other members of the Pathways team provide additional support based on each patient's goals and individual needs.
Whether receiving hospice or palliative care, patients continue to benefit from collaboration among their healthcare providers. Primary care providers and specialists can remain valued members of the care team, and Pathways ensures everyone is aligned around the patient's goals, preferences, and plan of care. Hospice physicians provide expertise in end-of-life care while partnering with the patient's attending physician whenever appropriate.
Whether you're receiving care at home, in an assisted living community, a skilled nursing facility, a hospital, or the Pathways Inpatient Care Center, you are supported by an organization committed to the highest standards of compassionate, patient-centered care. Behind every visit is a team communicating, collaborating, and working together to ensure you receive the right care at the right time. And because illness doesn't follow a schedule, neither do we. Our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions, provide guidance, and respond when you need us most.
For nearly 50 years, Pathways Hospice & Palliative Care has believed that caring for patients means caring for families, too. We don't simply provide healthcare services. We partner with patients, families, and their trusted physicians to surround every person with an extraordinary team of compassionate professionals, walking alongside them through one of life's most important journeys.
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