History
The Shaare Zedek Medical Center (SZMC) a 1000 bed university affiliated public hospital in Jerusalem, Israel. It was established in 1902 and it is the oldest hospital in the city.
Profile
The integrated oncology and palliative medicine department was established in 1994. The department provides ambulatory and inpatient care for patients with solid tumours. From its outset, this has been an interdisciplinary endeavor aiming to offer the best of oncologic care with intimately integrated palliative care services. The service includes medical and nursing palliative care specialists, social work, psyco-oncology, spiritual care, nutritional care, and evidence-based integrative therapies. Additionally, the hospital has a pediatric interdisciplinary palliative care service.
Specialities
- Integrated oncology and palliative care
- Cancer pain evaluation and management
- Spiritual care
- Palliative Care education
Palliative and Supportive Care
Since its establishment 25 years ago this department has had a fully integrated oncology and palliative medicine services with a seamless interaction and continuity of care. The interdisciplinary palliative care service is based in the oncology day hospital where it serves the needs of patients presenting for routine care. The physicians and nurses of the palliative care service together with the medical oncology staff participate in all meetings of the integrated oncology and palliative care service. These include tumor board meetings, radiology meetings, inpatient ward meetings and a weekly psychosocial team meeting.
The oncologist and palliative medicine clinicians meet and work with each other daily. When complex needs identified in patients in the day hospital, members of the palliative care team are available to consult and, if necessary start a treatment programme immediately. The palliative care service provides consultative advice or a shared care programme with the treating oncologist depending on the needs of the oncologist and the prevailing problems. When the severity of symptoms is such that patients need to be admitted, the palliative care team reviews the patient on a daily basis and coordinates the care plan with the oncologist responsible for overseeing the care and inpatient ward.
Last update: November 2020
