Palliative Care at Rochester General

Living well with serious illness

Many patients living with a serious illness – whether chronic or short-term, curable or life-threatening – often face symptoms and issues that may be as challenging as the illness itself: debilitating pain, side effects of necessary medical treatments, the natural anxieties and fears about their future, and the effects of their illness on their families and loved ones.

Palliative (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) Care at Rochester General Hospital is a medical specialty dedicated to maximizing the quality of patients’ day-to-day lives while they cope with any stage of a serious illness. Palliative Care services are provided along with curative or other medical treatments, to give patients control over their condition and the most comfort and support possible.

Through personalized, compassionate medical care and practical support, the Rochester General Palliative Care team – specialty trained physicians, physician assistants, nurses, licensed social workers and spiritual counselors – empowers patients by helping them maintain their independence, prioritize the things they enjoy, and focus on the people they love.

Ways palliative medicine can help:

1. Medical recommendations that focus on managing pain and other distressing symptoms to provide patients an improved quality of life when facing serious illness;
2. Empowering patients and their loved-ones to gain control of their illness through shared decision-making that align treatment decisions and their goals of care; and
3. Emotional and spiritual support for patients and caregivers through the course of illness directed at the many ways an illness can impact daily life beyond the physical.

Contact Us

To learn more about Palliative Care services at Rochester General Hospital, call 585.922.7274 to speak to a department representative.

Inpatient Palliative Care consultations are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.