Palliative Care Program

Program Director:
Ira Byock, M.D.

Palliative care is an interdisciplinary specialty that focuses on physical comfort and emotional, social and spiritual well-being for seriously ill people and their families.

The Palliative Care Service at Norris Cotton Cancer Center works with patients' primary medical teams to manage people's pain and other distressing symptoms, and maximize their function, while incorporating psychosocial and spiritual care according to an individual's and family's values. We work to clarify each patient's personal goals, culture and values and can assist patients and families to make treatment decisions that reflect those values. Care is patient-centered, supporting the roles of family in decision-making and caregiving. The goals of Palliative Care are to maximize physical comfort and function, prevent or alleviate suffering and to enhance quality of life for patients and their families throughout the course of illness.

The Palliative Care Service is an interdisciplinary team made up of Palliative Medicine specialist physicians and nurse practitioners, along with a social worker, a pastoral care provider, complementary therapists and community volunteers. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for consultations on both hospitalized and home based patients. In addition, outpatient appointments are available throughout the week at DHMC.