If you have a serious illness that is causing symptoms and stresses that are hard to manage, then palliative care is right for you. Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on providing relief from the symptoms, stresses, and side effects of an illness or its respective treatments. The intention is to improve the quality of life for you and your family. At PMC, we will work with you and your doctor to manage your illness, evaluate options, and make sure that your treatment plan aligns with your goals. Palliative care is an extra layer of support for you and your family as you navigate the challenges of your illness.
If you have a serious medical condition that is causing difficult symptoms and impacting your quality of life, you are eligible to receive this type of care. Some of these symptoms may be pain, agitation, difficulty breathing, or nausea. Palliative care is available to patients of any age, regardless of life expectancy or prognosis. It can be provided alongside curative treatments.
You can start palliative care at any stage of your illness. Whenever you feel comfortable or are starting to think about palliative care, discuss it with your primary care physician and give us a call at (301) 527 – 4070.
There is no time limit on how long you can receive palliative care services at PMC. Our team will work with you and your primary care physician to help you determine what the best options of services is for you.
Palliative care services at PMC would be provided by a certified physician or nurse practitioner – experts in palliative care and pain management. We offer a holistic approach to our care services.
Yes. The palliative care doctors work in collaboration with your primary care physician and specialists involved in your care. You would also be able to continue receiving curative treatment for your illness.
No. You can continue any curative treatments while receiving palliative care. The doctors at PMC will work with your physicians to help you manage your treatments.
Due to COVID-19, we have temporarily closed our offices for visits. However, you can easily schedule a meeting with our doctors and nurse practitioners through an in-home visit, or via telemedicine. You can also check our Locations page for more information.
PMC accepts: Cigna, Aetna, Johns Hopkins Health Care, Medicare, United Health Care, and CareFirst. For other insurances, it will be the patient’s responsibility to get reimbursed. Payment will be rendered at the appointment time; note that a co-pay may be required.
PMC Kids
We see all children, from newborn to adolescence.
You will be able to consult with experts who focus on end-of-life issues. While hospice care typically focuses on a life span of less than six months, Palliative care is helping you navigate illness that may have a longer duration and help you make decision decisions about diagnosis, and treatment options. In addition to a physician and nurse practitioner, you will have access to a Social Worker and Chaplain to provide counseling, goals of care discussion, advanced planning, and spiritual care issues.
Our team can provide insights about disease progression, and pain management that your regular physician may not have the time or expertise.
We will assist you with ethical decision making. Sometimes you can feel like a blur with all of the options presented to you. Our team will walk through your options, things difficult concepts clear and easy to understand, and present the best ethical options.
Some of the most common diseases we treat for include: congenital, genetic, neuro degenerative, cancer.
Our primary goal is to make sure that the patient is comfortable. We use a wide range of modalities, including traditional and holistic medicine that includes music, aromatherapy, acupuncture.
Absolutely. Your primary doctor will send us a referral stating they want you to see us. The patient’s primary physician will always be their lead doctor and we will work in tandem to assure you receive the best quality of care.
Yes. Your regular treatment will continue. We are being added as a consultant to help you process the big picture, help you determine your goals of care, and provide emotional and spiritual support to the entire family.