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Supportive Care

The supportive care team at UT Health focuses on providing patients with relief from pain and stress related to a medical diagnosis of a potentially life-threatening illness. This medical specialty, also known as palliative care, provides comfort for patients and their families. Studies have shown that patients who receive supportive care early in treatment live longer with an improved quality of life.

Your Support Team

Supportive care professionals help with pain, offer resources, alleviate stress, and offer emotional assistance. The supportive care team at UT Health North Campus works together to bring you fuller service when you need it most. We offer a:

  • Board-certified palliative care physician
  • Nurse
  • Social worker
  • Chaplain
  • Psychology interns, who collaborate with a patient’s primary physician, specialists, and other healthcare providers
 

Supporting Your Health

Supportive care can benefit people of any age during any phase of their chronic illness and treats patients suffering from every health discipline, including:

  • Cancer
  • Liver disease (cirrhosis)
  • Cardiac disease (cardiomyopathy)
  • Lung disease (COPD, emphysema)
  • Kidney failure (dialysis and non-dialysis)
  • Infectious disease (HIV/AIDS)
  • Neurological disease (dementia, Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s, Parkinson’s)
 

Areas within Supportive Care

Symptom management

  • Uncontrolled pain
  • Depression/anxiety/stress
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Constipation
  • Emotional or spiritual distress
  • Fatigue
 

Supportive services

Supportive care specialists communicate clearly and compassionately. Social workers, nurses, and chaplains support physicians and nurse practitioners in providing services. The team offers significant physical and emotional support to patients and their families.

Advance care planning

Our supportive care team offers assistance to patients and their families when they need more information about issues surrounding disease progression, and in making their treatment wishes known. When appropriate, the supportive care team offers knowledge related to end-of-life resources, including assistance with completing the appropriate forms.

For more information regarding Supportive Care, please contact us at 903-877-8966.