Palliative Care
Palliative care, also known as palliative medicine, is specialized medical care for people living with serious illness. It focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care is provided by a team of palliative care doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners, social workers, spiritual care providers and other specialists who work together with a patient’s care team to provide an extra layer of support. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided along with curative or life prolonging treatment.
Patient CareDFM Palliative Care Faculty
Our core faculty include both physicians and advanced nurse practitioners
Jim Fausto, MD, MHA, FAAHPM
Section Head
Josie Amory, MD
Melissa Bender, MD
Carolina Collison, MN, ARNP
Cathleen Daly, DNP
Phil Myers, MN, ARNP
Jaqueline Raetz, MD
Nimmy Simon, MD
Meegan Wolczyk, MN, ARNP
Education
Our palliative care program uses a narrative approach, believing that patient values and needs are best understood after eliciting the patient story and clarifying the patient’s understanding of their illness and situation, asking what is most important and worrisome to them, and how we can be most helpful to them in navigating their medical, emotional and spiritual journey, together with their families and important others in their lives.
DFM Palliative Care Faculty are core to multiple subspecialty and primary palliative care education activities at the University of Washington and UW Medicine
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship
UWSOM – Palliative Care Medical Student Elective (Net ID required)
Palliative Care Intern/Resident Elective – UW Residents Only
The Palliative Care Graduate Certificate
Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency
Palliative Care Research Fellowship
Research in Palliative Care
Our faculty lead and collaborate in multiple research activities related to palliative care nationally and locally. Please visit faculty profiles for their most up to date publications and please visit the Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence for additional palliative care educational and research activities at UW Medicine.
Other Resources
Palliative Care Resources Page (NetID required)
The Center for Integrative Oncology and Palliative Care Social Work at the UW School of Social Work
Center to Advance Palliative Care (Resource for UW Clinical Employees)
Excellence in Palliative Care Education
Melissa Bender, MD, is the holder of the Stuart J. Farber, M.D. and Annalu Farber Endowed Professorship in Palliative Care Education. The purpose of the Endowed Professorship is to enhance the University’s ability to recruit, retain, and/or provide opportunities for professional development for distinguished faculty in palliative care education. In creating this endowment, it is Stuart and Annalu Farber’s intention to improve both the quality and quantity of palliative care education for current medical students and trainees – as well as for practicing clinicians. This permanent faculty fund honors Stu Farber’s life-long contributions as a pioneer in palliative care as a specialty locally, regionally and nationally. If you are interested in supporting this work, please make a gift.