The Palliative Care Program works with patients who need help with symptom management but are not ready or medically appropriate for hospice. The program focuses on relieving pain and other symptoms, as well as providing practical and emotional support, for people facing serious illnesses. The goal is to provide medical care that enhances quality of life for the patient and their family.”

Nursing, social work, and chaplain visits may be less frequent than in the hospice program, depending on patients’ needs, but 24/7 on-call availability is the same. Patients may continue to pursue aggressive treatments (for example, chemotherapy or radiation) if they wish. Hospice Care of California has contracted with specific medical groups to provide palliative care to their patients (for example, cancer patients receiving care at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, or patients insured by Prospect Medical Group and referred by their case managers). Alternately patients may pay privately to receive palliative care services from HCC.