The goal of palliative care is to provide therapy that is curative, disease modifying or offers comfort to patients with life-limiting illnesses, allowing patients to maintain the highest possible quality of life.

At Baptist Health, palliative care is provided by a multi-disciplinary team whose goal is to make you more comfortable – medically, emotionally and spiritually. We can help you manage your pain and symptoms, arrange for community resources and provide psychological and spiritual support for you and your loved ones.

What Is Palliative Care?

The word "palliative" (pronounced "PAL-ee-uh-tihv") comes from the word "palliate," which means "to ease or comfort." Palliative care, though often thought to be synonymous with hospice care, is quite different. Hospice care is offered to patients with imminently terminal conditions, whereas palliative care is intended for patients with chronic and/or life limiting illnesses.  It focuses on controlling symptoms of illnesses, while enhancing comfort and quality of life.

Baptist Health’s Palliative Care Services

Baptist Health offers comprehensive palliative care services designed to support patients and families facing serious illness. Our care teams work closely with your existing providers to address pain management, emotional health, and care planning -- whether you're receiving inpatient palliative care during a hospital stay or participating in outpatient palliative care as part of your ongoing treatment plan.

Our palliative care services include:

• Pain and Symptom Management - We help manage physical discomfort such as pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, or nausea through personalized care plans.
• Emotional and Spiritual Support - Our care teams offer counseling and spiritual care services to help patients and families navigate the emotional challenges of illness.
• Inpatient Palliative Care - Provided during a hospital stay to support patients with complex or progressing conditions. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Outpatient Palliative Care - Available for patients who need symptom support while continuing to live at home or receive ongoing treatment. Explore outpatient services.
• Family and Caregiver Support - We provide education and resources to help families and caregivers feel confident and supported throughout the care journey.

We’ll also help guide you through the process of writing an advance directive, an important document in which you outline your specific wishes regarding care.

You can receive inpatient palliative care at any stage in your serious illness, and may still receive curative treatment. This can occur as early as your first diagnosis and can follow along through the entire course of your illness.

When Is Palliative Care Used?

Palliative care is employed to improve the quality of life for people with a wide variety of illnesses, including:

• Cancer
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Kidney disease
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Congestive heart failure
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Parkinson’s disease

Palliative care can be considered at any stage of a serious illness, not just at end-of-life. It is often introduced early to help manage symptoms such as pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath, and to support emotional or spiritual needs. It can also benefit individuals recovering from major surgeries or living with complex, chronic conditions.

Types of Palliative Care

Palliative care services are tailored to meet the unique needs of patients at different stages of illness and across various care settings. Baptist Health offers both inpatient palliative care and outpatient palliative care, ensuring continuity and support whether you're in the hospital or managing symptoms at home.

Inpatient Palliative Care

Provided in a hospital setting to patients experiencing complex symptoms or acute medical needs:

• Pain and symptom control during hospitalization.
• Emotional and spiritual support coordinated with hospital chaplains and counselors.
• Advance care planning and care coordination for transitions to home or hospice.
• Family meetings and decision-making support led by the care team.

Outpatient Palliative Care

Delivered outside the hospital for patients receiving ongoing treatment or recovering at home:

• Routine symptom management visits to help improve daily comfort and function.
• Consultations for treatment planning alongside primary and specialty care providers.
• Education and resources for caregivers managing long-term care at home.
• Ongoing emotional and psychosocial support through counseling and community referrals.

What Issues or Challenges Does Palliative Care Help Address?

This type of care typically involves a team of experts focused on helping a patient with a number of physical and emotional challenges caused by their illness. This can include working with doctors and other caregivers to make sure they understand the patient’s needs and desires regarding the alleviation of symptoms such as:

• Pain
• Nausea
• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Shortness of breath
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Constipation
• Incontinence
• Loss of appetite
• Anxiety

Palliative care services help manage these symptoms through personalized care plans that focus on comfort, quality of life, and emotional well-being. The care team works closely with patients and families to ensure treatments align with the patient’s goals and values.

Benefits of a Local Palliative Care Center

Choosing a palliative care center close to home offers added comfort, convenience, and peace of mind during a challenging time. While the core benefits of palliative care remain the same, accessing these services in your own community can provide unique advantages.

Benefits of choosing palliative care near you include:

• Easier access to in-person appointments and follow-ups.
• Familiar surroundings that support emotional and psychological comfort.
• Greater involvement of family and local caregivers.
• Continuity of care with nearby providers and specialists.
• Local resources and community support tailored to patient needs.

Learn more about the overall benefits of palliative care and how it can improve quality of life at every stage of serious illness.

Your Baptist Health Palliative Care Team

Your Baptist Health palliative care team may include:

• Chaplains, to help you observe your religious practices regardless of faith affiliation or non-affiliation.
• Medical social workers, to help arrange community resources and adjust to the emotional, social and personal changes while you’re receiving care.
• Palliative medicine physicians and advanced practitioners to help manage the pain and symptoms associated with your illness.

Baptist Health is a comprehensive, faith-based healthcare system dedicated to delivering clinical excellence and compassionate care across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. We are proud to lead with quality, collaboration, and innovation.

Our network includes a robust employed provider group, strong community partnerships, a growing research footprint, and a commitment to training the next generation of caregivers. Guided by our mission to improve the health of our communities, Baptist Health continues to grow and evolve—building on more than 90 years of trusted care.

FAQs

What Are the Three Types of Palliative Care?

The three types of palliative care are physical, psychological, and spiritual. Each type addresses a specific area of patient well-being, helping to manage symptoms, support emotional health, and provide meaning or comfort during serious illness.

What Makes Someone Eligible for Palliative Care?

A person of any age who has a serious or life-threatening illness, chronic illness, or serious medical condition may be eligible for palliative care. Eligibility is based on need, not prognosis, and care can begin at any stage of illness alongside curative treatment.

What’s the Difference Between End-of-Life Care and Palliative Care?

Palliative care and end-of-life care do have some overlapping characteristics. However, a person may receive palliative care at any stage of their illness, and it focuses on improving quality of life and does not necessarily mean you are coming to the end of your life. A person receiving end-of-life care is close to the end of their life and has stopped curative treatments. Learn more about the differences between hospice and palliative care.