Palliative Care Services
Mission statement
The OHSU Palliative Care Service's mission is to discover, teach, and practice the best palliative care possible. We have been and aim to continue to be a nationally recognized leader in palliative care, employing a team-based approach to serve patients, families and health professionals who are dealing with serious, life-threatening illnesses.
What services does the OHSU Palliative Medicine and Comfort Care Team provide?
We can provide enhanced communication between you, your family and your medical team, help in making difficult medical decisions at any stage of illness, give you emotional and spiritual support, and provide expert treatment of stress-related symptoms, such as:
- Pain
- Shortness of breath
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Trouble sleeping
- Loss of appetite
We welcome questions from patients and their family members. Ask your doctor for a referral for palliative care services. Our team is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Who benefits from palliative care?
Patients and families who:- Have a recent diagnosis of a serious illness
- Need care which is focuses on providing relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness
- Need help understanding their condition
- Need assistance making complex medical decisions
- Will have complex needs when they leave the hospital
- Have a long, complex hospital stay
- Have a complex illness with many hospital stays
How does palliative care differ from hospice care?
Palliative Care and Hospice Care are not the same thing. Palliative care is for anyone with a life-threatening or serious illness. Palliative care is appropriate at any stage of an illness, and can be provided together with curative treatment. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and family.
Hospice is a resource and Medicare benefit that provides care specifically for those who are terminally ill and to help them focus on comfort and quality of life in the remaining days, weeks, or months of life. Our Palliative Care Service in the hospital can help with the transition to hospice care, if needed.
What is comfort care?
Comfort care strives to ensure comfort for patients and families in the last days to hours of life.
Palliative Medicine and Comfort Care Team
Sue Best, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.
Palliative Care Social Worker
Jessica L. Bordley, M.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Tiffany Culbertson, R.N., M.S.N., A.N.P.-B.C.Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Jeff Myers, P.A.-C.Palliative Care Physician Assistant
Instructor, School of Medicine
Mary Denise Smith, R.N., C.N.S., A.C.H.P.C.N.Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Instructor, School of Nursing and Medicine
Eric Walsh, M.D.Palliative Care Physician
Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Hematology and Medical Oncology
Terri Schmidt, M.D., M.S.Palliative Care Physician
Professor of Emergency Medicine
Susan Yoder, R.N., B.S.N.Program Administrator
Director, Department of Patient Relations
Chaplains
Chi Lee, M.Div., BCC
Chaplain
OHSU Hospital / OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital
Deb Mecartae, M. Div., BCC
Chaplain
OHSU Hospital / OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital
Fernando Serna, M. Div., BCC
Chaplain
OHSU Hospital / OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital
Steven Straus, M. Div., BCC
Chaplain
OHSU Hospital / OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital