The inpatient Palliative Care Unit (PCU) has officially opened on Meyer 9 and is accepting patients. We currently have 4 dedicated palliative medicine beds, with plans to increase to 11 beds by the end of 2017. All patients who are admitted to the PCU require a consult by a palliative medicine provider, with admission or transfer approval of the PCU attending physician. Inpatient and ED patients can be consulted on and evaluated within 24 hours. HAL line transfers must be admitted to an appropriate accepting service and then require a palliative medicine consult for transfer evaluation.
It is also important to recognize that the PCU is not an on-site hospice unit or a long-term care unit. Patients transferring to this unit may be within various levels of continuing active treatment or transitioning to comfort care, with defined symptom management and palliative care needs. Patients must have defined goals of care and a discharge plan.
In addition to the PCU, the multi-disciplinary palliative medicine team continues to provide its inpatient consult service and outpatient services.
| Palliative Care Unit Pager | PING “JHH Palliative Care Unit – TEAM” |
| JHH Palliative Care Inpatient Consult | PING “JHH Palliative Care Consult” |
| EPIC order “Consult to Palliative Care – Service Pager” | |
| Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic Consult/Appointment | Call Appointment Line 410.614.9892. |
| EPIC order “Amb Referral to Palliative Care” |
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/palliative_care/about.html
-Michelle Churchill, MSN, CRNP, ACHPN
