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Next Reply: Re:Palliative Care Team - Name Change
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Post Palliative Care Team - Name Change
Author: rosea
Date: Dec 1, 2009 2:17 pm
I wanted to find out if there are programs that have used names other than "Palliative Care Team" and if so what are those names and do you have data to support that it was more beneficial using a different name?
Thanks.
Replies: order by [Date] [Author] [Subject]
+ Re:Palliative Care Team - Name Change (by TerrellVanAkenMD on 12/01/2009)
We tried using "Palliative Care" but had too many patients doing online searches for the term and getting mostly hospice info in return for their searches. Of course, hospice is an appropriate part of palliative care services but depending on the patient and the situation that can be alarming and very premature to some patients and families. We call our service "NorthBay Bridges" which we describe as "a Supportive Care Service of NorthBay HealthCare." (Now I realize the name "Bridges" is probably used a lot across the country and would probably re-do the name if we hadn't been running for a while already.) Some programs use "Symptom Management Team" as another possibility. On the hospital floor with the hospital staff we are generally referred to as the palliative care team but I would really rather be thought of as the " supportive care team" due to the misunderstanding by patients and families when they hear "palliative". When I describe our service to patients and/or families I usually explain that we help manage difficult symptoms, assist in communication and understanding for the family, patient (and medical providers!) and try to help in complex medical situations.

Your name and your description is critical because it will follow with you everyday and be hard to redirect if it leads people in the wrong direction from the start.
+ Re:Palliative Care Team - Name Change (by lynceronsky on 12/08/2009)
Early in our hospital based program's history, we used "Transitions and Life Choices (TLC)," which was also the name of the palliative home care service. Some believed that this name communicated the intent to offer palliative care "upstream," rather than only at end of life. The name avoided the misconceptions of the term "palliative," however it did not communicate the nature of the service to colleagues or patients and families. It also led to confusion about whether the referral was for palliative home care or an inpatient consult.
As the field of palliative care developed, and as others joined our program with different perceptions of the name, we made the decision to use "Palliative Consult Service," to recognize the medical specialty of palliative care, and be consistent with the National Quality Forum and Consensus Guidelines. The name still requires that we explain what palliative care is, how it helps, and address misperceptions of the concept.
Choice of a name is important as others have pointed out, and should reflect the local culture and population ( for example, pediatric versus adult), while allowing continued conversation to educate others about the value and contribution of palliative care.
Lyn Ceronsky
PCLC faculty
Fairview Palliative Care Program

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