What Does a Palliative Doctor Do?

Making a Plan to Live Well

Once you choose to receive palliative care, you will meet with the palliative team. Your palliative doctor and other team members will listen to you to understand your wishes for care and living and your needs, desires and concerns. The team will work with you and your loved ones to come up with a plan to give you control and help you live well, as you define it, and continually communicate with you to revise the plan as needed.

Everybody has different goals and wishes. For one person, a goal might be achieving pain relief so she can comfortably attend her daughter’s swim meet; another might want to get his shortness of breath under control so he can get back on the golf course; a child might be determined to go to school without constantly feeling nauseated.
Some questions the palliative doctor and other team members may ask include:

• How can we help you live well?
• What makes you happy?
• What activities or experiences would you like to do or continue doing so that you feel you are living well?
• Are there any special events or activities that you are looking forward to?
• What are your fears or worries about your illness or medical care?
• What needs or services would you like to discuss?
• What do you hope for your family and loved ones?
• What keeps you going when life’s challenges seem overwhelming?
• Do you have religious or spiritual needs that are important to you?
• In what way do you feel you could make this time especially meaningful to you?
• If you have to choose between living longer and living more comfortably or energetically, how would you approach this balance?

Of course you should feel free to bring up any other concerns or questions you may have.