Palliative Care
Palliative Care is specialized medical care for people living with serious illness like cancer and is provided by a team of professionals that includes a physician or nurse practitioner. The goal of palliative care is to help you have the best quality of life by relieving your symptoms like pain and improving your functionality. We work together with your oncologist to help achieve your goals for medical care.
Ask your physician or nurse practitioner to refer you to a palliative care specialist. We have clinics in Middle Tennessee and Chattanooga and provide telemedicine during the COVID-19 national emergency.
Where do I receive Palliative Care?
Palliative care services are provided either in your Tennessee Oncology clinic, or one of our many locations in Middle Tennessee, Chattanooga or surrounding areas. Telemedicine services are also available at all clinic locations during the COVID-19 national emergency. Our current Middle Tennessee clinic locations are St. Thomas West, St. Thomas Midtown, Centennial, Gallatin, Lebanon, Franklin, Murfreesboro. Our Chattanooga clinic location is at Memorial Plaza.
Does my insurance pay for Palliative Care?
Palliative Care will be covered by your insurance in the same manner as any other service in the practice.
Is Palliative Care right for me?
If you have a serious illness such as cancer, palliative care can help manage symptoms that may occur like pain and can also help you define your goals for medical care. Palliative care is beneficial at any stage of illness. Palliative care does not replace active treatment of your disease nor is it hospice care.
How does the Palliative Care team work with my oncologist?
Through collaboration, your oncologist and palliative care team will combine efforts to provide expert symptom management and treatment plans based on your goals.
What can I expect?
You can expect to receive communication to schedule a visit with a nurse practitioner or physician within 2-3 days of being referred. You can also expect to be seen by a provider within 1-2 weeks.
PALLIATIVE CARE PHYSICIANS
NURSE PRACTITIONERS
British Bates, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
Angela Burnley, RN