Palliative Care

Palliative Care is specialized medical care that focuses on improving quality of life and comfort when facing a serious illness or complex medical decisions.

Palliative patients can continue to receive curative treatment. The expertise provided by our team helps patients manage symptoms, plan ahead, and avoid hospital and emergency room visits.

When to consider Hospice or Palliative Care?

Palliative care patients can still receive curative treatment for their advanced health conditions. Hospice care is a specific type of palliative care delivered when a patient has a prognosis of six months or less.

What is the difference between
Hospice and Palliative Care?

 The goals of both hospice and palliative care are very similar: to relieve symptoms of a serious illness, provide comfort from pain, and improve quality of life for the patient and family. Hospice care is a specific type of palliative care delivered when a patient has a prognosis of six months or less and is no longer seeking curative treatment. The table below provides an outline to help you learn more.

Hospice CarePalliative Care Case Management
Focus is on symptom relief and quality of life.
The patient has a life-limiting illness.
The patient can continue to receive curative treatment.
The patient’s life expectancy is six months or less.
The patient has a care team to support their medical and emotional needs.
Support for the patient’s family and friends is provided.
The patient can continue to receive care from their primary care provider.
Guidance on end-of-life decisions and preferences is provided.

In addition to ongoing, team-based Palliative Care Case Management, Lumina offers Palliative Care Consults. These consults provide clinical guidance for providers and patients to assist with symptom management and advance care planning. Palliative Consults are appropriate for patients with a life expectancy of two years or less.

Read Our FAQs

When should a patient start palliative care?

Lumina palliative care is ideal for patients who have a life-limiting illness, significant symptoms despite usual care, and/or are wanting help planning ahead (called “advance care planning”). This care can be provided while a patient is still pursuing curative treatment through their primary care team.

Patients with an estimated life expectancy of 12 months or less are eligible for Palliative Care Case Management. Those with a life expectancy of two years or less are eligible for palliative specialty consults.

Where do patients receive palliative care from Lumina?

Patients receive care in their own residence, wherever that may be. This could be a patient’s private residence, home of a family member, adult foster home, nursing facility, or retirement community. Palliative specialty consults can also be provided with telehealth.

What types of equipment and medication does Lumina palliative care provide?

Lumina Palliative Care Case Management covers basic wound care and bladder catheter supplies. Otherwise, patients in either of Lumina’s palliative care programs can continue to have equipment and medications covered through their usual health insurance plan.

Patients can continue to see their primary physician and other medical specialists while on palliative care. Lumina providers will make recommendations for equipment and medications needed to a patient’s primary provider.

How does Lumina approach pain management?

Pain management is individualized according to each patient’s unique symptoms and preferences. We use everything from non-pharmacologic pain treatment, to over-the-counter pain relievers, to opioids as needed and indicated.

Who pays for Palliative Care Case Management and Palliative Consults?

Coverage is dependent on what type of insurance a patient has. A Lumina team member can help determine a patient’s coverage.

Does Lumina provide 24/7 support for palliative care patients?

On-call staff are available 24/7 for patients enrolled in Lumina Palliative Care Case Management. Patients with palliative care consultations should continue to seek 24/7 support from their primary care provider’s office. 

How are family and friends of patients supported?

Lumina provides emotional and practical support to families, including support for caregivers, advance care planning support, and volunteer support as indicated. We will work with you to determine the right support for you.

What if a patient is not sure if palliative care is the right service?

The Lumina team can help determine if Palliative Care Case Management or Palliative Consults are right for a patient or provide other options, including Transitions and hospice.

Does palliative care lead to hospice?

Palliative care can ease a patient’s transition to hospice when they are ready to do so. However, patients can choose to remain on palliative care if hospice is not the right choice for them.

Who can refer someone to palliative care?

Referrals can be made by anyone – physicians, friends, patients, and families. To make a referral contact our Referral Coordinator at 541.757.9616.

Call to learn more about how Lumina can help.

If you think Palliative Care might be right for you or your patient, or if you have questions about the referral process, please call our Referral Coordinator at 541.757.9616.

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Palliative Care

Contact our Referral Coordinator

541.757.9616 Email Us