By: Dra. Inés Hernández-Roses

MCS Chief Medical Officer

While the topic of palliative care is extremely important to the healthcare service system, it’s not often discussed.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) defines palliative care as care provided to improve the quality of life for patients who have a serious or life-threatening illness. Although traditionally associated with terminal illness, palliative care can improve the quality of life for someone who is going through a serious illness process, with symptoms severely affecting that person’s functionality. While this scenario is frequently seen in terminal illnesses, it is also present in severe acute or chronic illnesses as well. The focus is on relieving the side effects of a serious health condition, such as pain, loss of mobility and emotional stress, among others.

Unfortunately, in most cases, when the palliative care option is discussed, it’s because there’s an advanced terminal illness process. Decision-making is then left for a time when the patient, family and caregivers are likely to be overwhelmed and anxious in the midst of a situation for which they are unprepared.

Certainly, it is a sensitive issue and one on which healthcare professionals, working in both medical offices and hospitals, should have the support of other members of the health care team.

As part of its commitment to the health of its members, MCS has a Palliative Care Program.

This program provides patients and their caregivers, in the comfort of the patient’s own home, a multidisciplinary team that includes doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains and other healthcare professionals.

The program also considers the socio-cultural aspects of the patient, in order to help the person remove as many barriers as possible that affect his or her quality of life and the palliative care the patient needs.

The goal of the MCS Palliative Program is to improve the quality of life of patients with a serious condition carrying a high risk of morbidity and mortality.

The program also serves patients who are not eligible for hospice services. However, these services are not a substitute for primary medical treatment, as the primary care physician remains an essential support resource in the process.

Also, patients do not have to give up their curative treatments to be eligible for the MCS Palliative Program.

One year after the launch of this innovative and unique program for the Puerto Rico market, the reception has been very positive, both among the members and with the clinical staff supporting the program.

The benefits for all members of the healthcare team have been evident. The support of an expert interdisciplinary team facilitates healthcare professionals’ job in caring for a very ill population.

Patients have expressed great satisfaction, knowing they have a multidisciplinary team available to assist them at any time.