Challenging Symptoms? Expert Advice.
“In California, 75 percent of adults over 65 have at least one chronic condition that requires ongoing care. And in just three years, the nation’s 78 million Baby Boomers will begin turning 65.” (The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, May 2008)
Physicians are required, by California law, to obtain continuing education in pain management and palliative care. But few community physicians — particularly those practicing in medically underserved areas — have the time or resources to keep abreast of cutting-edge therapies for managing the varied symptoms associated with serious illnesses.
To address this, The Institute for Palliative Medicine (IPM) at San Diego Hospice has created the PAL-MED CONNECT hotline at 1 (877) PAL-MED4 [1 (877) 725-6334]. This new hotline allows convenient access to expert guidance on options for managing pain and other distressing symptoms. The goal is to advise physicians when challenging symptoms arise, provide options and information when needed, and to share the resources of IPM with other clinicians. The PAL-MED CONNECT hotline provides the convenience of a “curbside consultation” over the phone. Physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists can speak with palliative medicine experts at IPM, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Outside of these hours, calls will be answered on the next business day or an expert will be paged for after hour emergencies.
Physicians can use the PAL-MED CONNECT hotline as a resource for questions on serious patient symptoms — shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea; opioid conversion — and discuss best practices on palliative care. Pharmacy consultation is also an integral part of the hotline. They can address questions on opioid rotation and conversion, dosing, drug side effects and interactions. For instance, a physician calls in with questions about a cancer patient receiving chemotherapy and experiencing both immediate and delayed nausea. Through the PAL-MED CONNECT hotline, the experts at IPM can provide information on a full range of anti-nausea drugs, send monographs and recommend publications for further reading.
The hotline project is funded by a grant provided by UnitedHealth Group/PacifiCare as part of an ongoing commitment dedicated to improving healthcare services through enhanced technology opportunities, supporting clinical education, and driving preventative health initiatives.
This generous grant permits IPM to provide this service free of charge to California physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists. We anticipate a win-win for patients and their healthcare providers: enhanced symptom control for patients and enhanced career satisfaction for the providers. For further questions on palliative medicine, contact the PAL-MED CONNECT hotline at 1 (877) PAL-MED4 [1 (877) 725-6334].