History
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute is one of 45 national comprehensive cancer hospitals in the United States. The center includes multiple clinics and satellite locations to allow for ease of access for an every-growing patient population. The center's flagship hospital consists of 21 floors with approximately 306 private patient rooms. Each floor specializes in a specific cancer subtype and has dedicated areas for education as well as a translational research lab. The hospital's emergency department is fully integrated with the general medical center emergency department and provides 15 beds dedicated solely to cancer patients with a separate waiting area designated for immunocompromised individuals. It is one of only a few dedicated cancer emergency departments in the country.
Profile
The Palliative Medicine Consult Team evolved from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute Cancer Pain Consult Service (OSUCCC James) which was developed approximately 14 years ago. The goal of the Pain Service was to assist physicians at the OSUCCC James manage complex cancer pain and symptoms in patients at OSUCCC James. The service was originally staffed by one pain specialist, Costantino Benedetti, MD, and one NP. This service also provided services in the ambulatory clinic two half-days per week. With the increase in volume of consults and the expansion of PC services to University Hospital, and Ross Heart Hospital and additional ambulatory clinic time, additional staff was added to the service. Today's Palliative Care Center Team consists of Medical Director, Nursing Director, twelve Attending Physicians, Psychologist, one Pharmacist, nine Advanced Practice Nurses, two Out-patient Management Coordinator RNs, one Social Worker, three Administrative Support Staff, four Fellows, and a part-time Chaplain.
Specialities
The Palliative Medicine attending physicians have a wide array of medical backgrounds. This background training includes General Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Neurology, Ethics, Pulmonary/Critical Care, and Anesthesia/Pain. Regardless of background, each physician found their calling to practice Palliative Medicine and completed subsequent formal Palliative training. As a whole, the Division of Palliative Medicine specializes in pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management of symptoms and acts as an extra layer of support for patient, family, and even staff. We also assist with delineation of treatment plans and patient-focused goals of care.
Palliative and Supportive Care
Psychosocial and spiritual support with social workers and chaplains is available 24/7. These supports are used in conjunction with the physical symptom support provided by our clinicians. They are also integral for bereavement follow-up for the patient and family. The OSUCCC James cancer center provides several layers of psychooncologic support through specific clinician providers and programs. The palliative service works closely with two fellowship-trained psychosocial oncology doctorates whose focus is strictly on oncologic and palliative care patient.
Last update: December 2022
