Palliative Care

Lawrence Hospital Center's Palliative Care Program is dedicated to caring for the whole person; body, mind, and spirit. Palliative care is interdisciplinary care that aims to relieve suffering and improve the quality of life while simultaneously administering other appropriate treatments for patients with advanced, chronic, or life threatening illness.

The Palliative Care Service program provides the following services:

• Medical consultation and collaboration with physicians.
• Treatment for symptoms not yet identified related to the medical and psychosocial aspects of a patient's disease process.
• Advanced symptom management.
• Decisions in medical appropriateness for hospice care.
• Practical advice related to post discharge medical care.
• Expert control of pain and symptoms.
• Communication and decisions about goals of care with patient and family.
• Care and transitions across the medical system.
• Support to the treating medical team.

The program is directed by Kerrianne Page, MD and Nurse Practitioner Maura Del Bene, MS, RN, NP-P. Dr. Page is board-certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Del Bene is a certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with 18 years of experience in hospice and palliative care. The Palliative Care program collaborates with other disciplines including, but not limited to, pastoral care, social work, rehabilitation specialists and volunteers.