NCCS is the first institution to establish a Department of Palliative Medicine in Southeast Asia. It provides care to patients with advanced cancer by optimising pain and symptom management, rehabilitation, nutritional and psychosocial support.
How Palliative Care Helps
With special skills in the pain control and symptoms, the team may be involved at every stage of a patient’s treatment, providing care for patients who are undergoing cancer treatment from surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, right till the time when such therapies are no longer of benefit. IIt focuses on the management of pain and the treatment of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and breathlessness, rehabilitation, nutritional and psychosocial support. With palliative care support, it is possible for cancer patients to enjoy a good quality of life. |
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Customising Palliative Care
Palliative Medicine physicians conducts specialist outpatient clinics at NCCS, and provides inpatient services at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). They customise care according to the needs of each patient. These may include arrangements for a maid, special equipment such as oxygen supply, or a home care service to provide the patient with medical or nursing care at home. The team can also arrange for patients to enter a suitable nursing home or hospice such as Assisi Home and Hospice and Bright Vision Hospital. To ensure that NCCS patients receive holistic and empathetic care the department works closely with NCCS’ Department of Psychosocial Oncology
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