Get Palliative Blog

Everything is uncertain now, especially for people living with a serious illness. Everyone is worrying about what to expect and how to prepare for COVID-19. After all, we know so little and there is still no treatment. But Diane Meier, MD, director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care, offers insight and answers to the most common questions.  … Read More

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine may be the safest – and sometimes the only – option for people to speak with their palliative care teams or other health care professionals. To slow the spread of the virus, telemedicine makes it possible for you to remain inside your home when you need to speak with your doctor. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the largest health care payer in the country, has temporarily waived rules to allow more flexibility during this public health emergency. Patients and families can also learn more by going to the telehealth section of the Health and Human services website.

Below, we have put together quick and easy tips that will help you get ready for your visit.  … Read More

Everyone is worrying about what to expect and how to prepare for COVID-19. After all, we know so little and there is still no treatment. In two interviews with Dr. Diane Meier, director of CAPC (the Center to Advance Palliative Care), ARCHANGELS Co-Founder and CEO, Alexandra Drane, gets at the core of what’s waking us up at night, including how do we make decisions and how do we actually feel human instead of just medical specimens. Diane makes us feel more in control and feel better about our COVID19 worries… she clears up confusion, addresses the fears many of us have, recommends three things we can all do right now to be prepared–and she makes it not scary. We can all feel good about telling a friend to watch these videos. … Read More

If you are a transplant recipient, you may be wondering how the Coronavirus (COVID-19) might affect you. Since it is a new virus, doctors are still learning about it and its potential effect on transplant recipients. Doctors Meenakshi Rana and Andrew E. Esch share tips and answer frequently asked questions.* … Read More

Tony Back, MD, a doctor in Seattle, has very useful and clear tips for caregivers caring for someone with a serious illness during COVID-19.  What you do is so important to the person you care for—so first, Dr. Back and all of us want to shout out a huge thank you. 

Many of you want to know what you should be doing now about coronavirus. And you’re saying, we’re already staying at home. What else can we do? Well, there are three other good things you can do now. … Read More

If you or a loved one are living with a chronic lung disease or other respiratory condition, you may be wondering how Coronavirus (COVID-19) could affect you. Below, doctors Louis R. DePalo and Andrew E. Esch share tips and answer frequently asked questions.* … Read More

If you or a loved one are living with cancer, there are things that you can do to protect yourself from coronavirus (also called COVID-19). Doctors Cardinale B. Smith and Andrew E. Esch share tips and answer frequently asked questions.*  … Read More

This is a concerning time, especially for older adults and people living with a serious illness. Because of COVID-19, it’s important to protect yourself and loved ones as much as possible. In this blog post and video, Dr. Sean Morrison of The Mount Sinai Hospital discusses what a coronavirus is and provides important information and tips.  … Read More

By Andrew Esch, MD

Did you know that most large hospitals in the U.S. have a specialized medical team that uniquely cares for people living with serious illnesses? If you or a loved one has any type of cancer, heart or kidney disease, dementia/Alzheimer’s disease, or any other serious illness, you should know about this extra layer of medical support. It’s called palliative care and focuses on relieving symptoms and stress that so often come with these kinds of illnesses.  … Read More

Rae Anne was at a concert with friends when she found a lump on the side her neck. Worried, she left and scheduled various doctor appointments to figure out what it could be, as she didn’t have any other symptoms. Over the course of a few weeks, the lump grew, and she was diagnosed with stage 4 head and neck cancer.

After several rounds of chemotherapy and 35 radiation treatments, Rae Anne was told by her oncology team that she needed to wait at home for 3 months until her next scan, in order to see if the treatment worked. While living with anxiety and side effects from treatment, Rae Anne received a phone call from the palliative care team at the hospital where she received treatment, to schedule an appointment. She had never heard of palliative care and didn’t know what to expect.  … Read More