FORT WAYNE – On February 17, Visiting Nurse will open a Palliative Care Clinic at Dupont Hospital. The clinic, staffed by physicians and nurse practitioners, will be located at 2514 E. Dupont Road, Suite 120, on the Dupont Hospital campus. An open house is scheduled for Feb. 18 from 3-5 p.m. that is open to the public.
Palliative medicine is a patient and family-centered type of care, provided by physicians and nurse practitioners, for those facing serious and chronic illnesses. Palliative medicine addresses physical, emotional and social needs to help patient autonomy, access to information and choice of treatment. Palliative medicine also focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stresses of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for patients and families. Patients can still be undergoing curative treatment while receiving support through the Palliative Care Clinic.
The Palliative Care Clinic team helps patients manage symptoms including pain, neuropathy, anxiety, nausea, shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue and others. Also included in the Palliative Care program are goals-of-care conversations and advance care planning discussions, both of which are helpful for patients and families.
“Visiting Nurse is excited to provide Palliative Care to patients and families in need. This new location will be beneficial for patients who live throughout the northeast Indiana region and need this specialized level of care,” said Visiting Nurse CEO Leslie Friedel. Common diagnoses that qualify for Visiting Nurse’s Palliative Care Clinic include cancer, congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, COPD, renal disease, dementia, HIV/AIDS, pulmonary fibrosis, stroke and degenerative nervous system diseases such as Parkinson’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Dupont Hospital CEO Lorenzo Suter said “Of the many initiatives that Dupont Hospital has launched since my arrival in 2017, I am so very pleased to have the Palliative Care team at Visiting Nurse join our campus. The Visiting Nurse team has a compassionate approach to helping patients and families who are facing challenging circumstances and situations. Palliative Care access is needed in Northeast Indiana and I am thankful for Visiting Nurse’s commitment to providing such a valuable service.”
Appointments can be scheduled Monday through Friday and referrals can be made by calling (260) 435-3222.