Supportive and Palliative Care Service

The goal of Supportive and Palliative Care Service is to prevent and relieve suffering and to support the best possible quality of life for patients and their families, regardless of the stage of their disease. Supportive and palliative care can be delivered along with life-prolonging treatment. Our goal includes enhancing quality of life for patients and families, helping with decision-making, and providing opportunities for personal growth.

• Relief from pain
• Relief from symptoms
• Relief from stress of cancer

We will work with you to better understand your condition and your choices for care, improve your ability to tolerate treatment, and carry on with everyday life.
    
You can benefit at any point in your care.

The Supportive & Palliative Care Service works with people at every stage of their illness. We will coordinate with your oncology team to provide in-depth symptom management. Your oncologist will continue to be the one that makes the decision with you about your care.

What do we offer?

We will work with your oncologist to provide specialized care for:

• Controlling pain
• Controlling physical symptoms
• Coping with the stress of cancer
• Talking with your family
• Determining what is most important to you
• Preparation for the future
• Advance directives for healthcare
• Living Will
• Deciding when it is right to enroll in hospice
• Promoting the best quality of life possible

The Supportive & Palliative Care Service is different from hospice.

Hospice care is provided to patients by specialized nurses, social workers, and chaplains. It is designed for patients in the last six months of life. The care is usually provided in the home with the hospice team visiting regularly. If it is time for hospice care, we assist you with the referral, and provide ongoing coordination of care with the team. 

Our Team

At SCCA, you will be seen by the Palliative & Supportive Care Service Nurse Practitioner. The team includes:

• Pamela Davies, MS, ARNP
  Nurse Practitioner
• Judy Fihn, RN, CHPN
  Clinical Nurse Coordinator
• Petr Horak
  Palliative Care Program Coordinator
• Elizabeth Trice Loggers, MD, PhD
  Medical Director, Palliative Care
• Moreen Shannon-Dudley, LICSW
  Director, Supportive Care, Radiation Therapy and Specialty Clinics,
  Co-director, Palliative Care

In addition, we utilize social workers, chaplains, cancer pain clinic, psychiatrists, childlife specialist, psychologists, physical therapy, nutritionists, and patient educators as needed.

For More Information

• Talk to your oncology team and let them know you are interested in seeing the Supportive & Palliative Care Service.
• Appointments can usually be scheduled within one to two weeks. 
• Call us Monday to Friday at:
  (206) 288-7474 Main Line
  (206) 288-7324 Scheduler
• E-mail us at palcare@seattlecca.org