Outpatient Palliative Care
Connect with the TeamOutpatient Palliative Care
Outpatient palliative care provides personalized support for people living with a serious illness. Through virtual visits, our team helps manage symptoms, answer questions and coordinate care so you and your family have added support throughout treatment.
Virtual Palliative Care Visits
Virtual palliative care allows you to connect with your care team from home through a secure video or phone visit. During appointments, you can discuss symptoms, treatment concerns, emotional needs and questions about your care plan.
Before your visit, you will receive instructions on how to connect. During the appointment, members of your outpatient palliative care team may review medications, discuss symptom management and help coordinate care with your other providers.
Virtual palliative care makes it easier to access support, helping you stay focused on what matters most.
Who can benefit from outpatient palliative care?
Outpatient palliative care may benefit adults who are living with a serious illness. The service is designed to support physical, emotional and spiritual well-being while helping individuals and families navigate complex health care decisions.
You may benefit from outpatient palliative care if you:
- Have symptoms such as pain, fatigue, nausea or shortness of breath
- Need help understanding treatment options
- Want support managing multiple health conditions
- Feel stressed, overwhelmed or uncertain about future care decisions
- Need help coordinating care among multiple providers
- Would like additional support for family members or caregivers
Palliative care can be provided alongside treatments intended to cure or manage illness.
Your Outpatient Palliative Care Team
Depending on your needs, your outpatient palliative care team may include:
- Advanced practice providers
- Medical social workers
- Pastoral care professionals
Together, they address symptoms, emotional concerns, spiritual needs and practical challenges that may arise during treatment. Our team partners with you, your loved ones and your other providers to ensure your care reflects your goals.
Treatment Planning
Through in-depth conversations and family meetings, we help you and your family understand your care options and identify what matters most to you. Together, we develop a personalized care plan based on your needs, goals and values.
This may include symptom management strategies, emotional and spiritual support, advance care planning and coordination with other providers involved in your care.
Many conversations can take place through virtual palliative care visits, making it easier to stay connected with your team. Depending on your needs, phone appointments or in-person visits may also be recommended. Your care plan can change over time as your health needs and goals change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect during a virtual palliative care visit?
Visits are done primarily through video or phone appointments. During these virtual visits, advanced practice providers, social workers and pastoral care professionals offer guidance, symptom management and emotional and spiritual care.
What if I'm not good at using technology?
The care team helps guide you through every step of the virtual visit process, from scheduling to connecting with your provider. If you're unable to join a video visit, your care team may be able to schedule a telephone appointment instead.
Will I still have access to a social worker or pastoral care professional?
Yes. Social workers and pastoral care professionals are part of the palliative care team and support you and your family, primarily through virtual visits.
Is outpatient palliative care different from inpatient palliative care?
Inpatient palliative care is provided during a hospital stay. Outpatient palliative care supports you after you leave the hospital or while you are living at home or in an assisted living facility.
Is palliative care the same as hospice care?
No. Palliative care can begin at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided alongside curative treatment. Hospice is a type of care for people approaching the end of life that focuses on comfort and quality of life.
Can I receive outpatient palliative care after a hospital discharge?
Outpatient palliative care may be available after discharge from an OSF hospital. Ask your care team whether the service is appropriate for you.
Connect With Us
Questions about palliative care? Call (800) 446-3009, Option 2, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Current patients with urgent needs can call anytime. For emergencies, call 9-1-1.