Serious illness can feel overwhelming for patients and families alike. That’s why Croí Health believes in a collaborative approach to care.
Palliative care ensures patients get the support they need, when they need it. At Croí Health, we use a consultative model to coordinate care with primary physicians and specialists to improve the patient’s quality of life in both palliative and hospice care.
What is a Consultative Model in Palliative Care?
In a consultative palliative model, palliative care experts work alongside doctors and specialists to support patients with long-term illnesses. The palliative care team does not replace the doctors and specialists, but rather serves as a complement to improve clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
In this model, palliative care teams help manage complex symptoms, improve communication, and enhance the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses. At Croí Health, our staff works with our patients’ established care teams to help achieve their goals and provide ongoing, personalized support.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is a holistic, person-centered approach to supporting people living with serious illnesses. The palliative model of care improves patient quality of life and relieves the suffering of both patients and families as they navigate serious illnesses.
Common Questions
When families first learn about palliative care, they typically have questions about how this model will serve their loved one.
These are some common questions our patients’ families ask about palliative care:
- Who can benefit from palliative care?
Palliative care can benefit patients living with severe illnesses, whether returning from the hospital, or patients in the community struggling with symptom management, goals of care and in need of advanced care planning - What’s the difference between palliative care and hospice?
Hospice refers to end of life care with the goal of avoiding hospitalization. Palliative care is a broader term that offers help and support to patients at different life stages who are living with serious illnesses. - What does a typical day with palliative care look like?
Palliative care nurse practitioners typically visit patients in the home for an hour or more. They talk with the patient about their symptoms, their goals, and develop plans around symptom management.
Palliative care also adjusts to patient needs.
What Does Coordination of Care Mean?
Coordinated care brings physicians, family members, and palliative care teams together to deliver consistent, compassionate support. Together, we build a plan to provide consistent, hands-on care.
Palliative care teams play an important role in coordinating care. We work directly with doctors and nurses to communicate about patient needs and catch any important questions or developments, like medication changes or diet concerns. Palliative care teams also work as a direct line to your loved ones’ doctors and nurses, organizing the care process.
Coordinated care is a collaborative, team effort that improves your loved one’s quality of life while giving you peace of mind, knowing you have a trusted partner in your corner.
Utilizing Acuity Levels in Managing Our Patients’ Consultative Care
Acuity refers to the level of severity, complexity, and urgency of a patient’s condition. Acuity helps describe how sick someone is and how much care or support they need.
In the context of consultative palliative care, acuity reflects how complex a patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are at a given time. The more intensive a patient’s needs, the higher their acuity.
Here are some examples of how acuity can present in different patients:
- Higher acuity: severe pain, uncontrolled symptoms, or intense personal or family distress
- Lower acuity: stable symptoms but would benefit from guidance around goals of care or advance care planning
Patients at different levels of acuity can benefit from palliative care services. Acuity levels help palliative care teams make sure patients get the right level of support.
It’s important to note that acuity levels can change. A patient who is able to get their symptoms under control through palliative care intervention may require less support over time. On the other hand, patients may develop additional health conditions or other issues that call for a higher level of care. Palliative care teams regularly monitor acuity levels to respond quickly when needs escalate, helping patients remain as comfortable and supported as possible.
The Importance of Finding High Quality Palliative or Hospice Care
For many families, quality is a determining factor when choosing a palliative care team to support their loved one. A high-quality team provides expert coordination and tailored support that focuses on patients’ specific needs.
Through personalized care and ongoing coordination with your desired care team, palliative care ensures patients are closely monitored, supported, and cared for. Choosing well-trained, expert practitioners gives your loved one the highest quality care possible.
A diagnosis is difficult for everyone in the family. Croí Health is here every step of the way to help your family navigate your loved one’s care needs.
Contact Us to Find out More About Consultative Palliative Care Today
When your loved one is living with a serious illness, palliative care gives you peace of mind—you know your loved one’s needs are being met with care, understanding, and respect.
If you or someone you love could benefit from extra support in managing serious illness, Croí Health’s team of compassionate professionals is here to help.
If you or a loved one would like to learn more, contact Croí Health today for personalized support.
