Palliative Care

[maranatha]

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Just wondering if psychiatrists can do palliative care and what their role would be. Would this be something that could be pursued as a fellowship via psychosomatic medicine or perhaps pain management?

If a psychiatrist can do palliative care, would they function as a consultant or as a primary provider? I know that Kubler-Ross was a psychiatrist, but she seemed more like a researcher then a palliative care doc involved in the entire process....

Thanks!

 

[maranatha]

ok. i know this isn't the most exciting post, but doesn't anyone have an idea about palliative care with psychiatry?

 

[Solideliquid]

I suppose you can do a fellowship in Geri psych.

 

[Anasazi23]

We have a nationally famous hospice in our hospital.

We consult there frequently, and I covered the floor medically when I was on medicine as an intern. It was ...interesting.

They have an internist who acts as the primary attending for the floor. Psychiatry is frequently consulted for medication management, behavior aberrations, agitation, delirium, dementia management, psychosis secondary to GMCs, and other reasons. The floor was unique in that they had specialists come in to give recommendations on the best type of lighting, color, floor type, layout, artwork, etc., that is most comforting and peaceful. It's certainly the nicest floor of the hospital. The nurses are the nicest in the hospital and have a stocked fridge of ice cream and bowls of candy they like to give me when I consult there at night.

Here's an article (albeit old) that you might have already read from Psychiatric Times:
http://psychiatrictimes.com/p001057.html

Places like Calvary hospital are expanding, and could probably use more psychiatrists, as they have numerous other medical staff for various management issues. They have full-time social workers for each patient to provide therapy.