Palliative care – a combination of medicine and care – supports people with serious illnesses and helps them to spend the remaining time with the highest possible quality of life – to put a protective coat around them. Many patients do not need to be hospitalized for this. Most want to spend the rest of their time at home with their loved ones.
The first palliative outpatient clinic in Upper Austria has now been opened at the Sisters of Mercy Clinic in Linz, where those affected receive treatment tailored to their needs.
Individual therapy plan
“Patients who come to us suffer from serious, incurable and often chronic diseases. That’s why it’s important for us to assess their medical and nursing needs during an initial consultation. And then to create an individual therapy plan that leads to an improvement in the symptoms and alleviates their needs and fears,” says Senior Physician David Fuchs, head of the palliative care unit. “Our patients live with their illness at home. That’s why, in addition to pain therapy and wound treatment in the outpatient department, we also carry out advisory activities and training courses – both for the patients themselves and for their relatives. Often it’s simple means that really help,” says Head of Nursing Martina Rouha. “As the leading oncological hospital in Upper Austria, we attach great importance to being able to offer these patients the best possible and, above all, holistic treatment,” says Elisabeth Brautigam, Medical Director at the Ordensklinikum Linz Merciful Sisters.
Source: Nachrichten
