Navigating Palliative Care Together
We focus on the holistic needs of patients with serious illnesses. This approach prioritizes symptom management, emotional well-being, and ensuring patients and families are central in decision-making. It's a journey to ensure dignity, comfort, and an enhanced quality of life.
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Dr. Vijayshree Patil
Dr Vijayshree Patil is an Anaesthetist, Critical care specialist, and Hospital Administrator - now a full-time Palliative care physician working in Mumbai attached to Saifee, Breach Candy, ACI Cumballa Hill Hospitals and also providing home care for patients. She is also associated with Sukoon Nilaaya, Mumbai, and Mangala Hospital, Pen, Raigad ensuring care for underprivileged patients requiring palliative care.
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She was informally practicing Palliative Care during her critical care practice but decided to get trained. After that, she did the WHO Clinical Palliative Care (NFPM) with IPM Calicut and the International Organisational Palliative Care fellowship with St. Christopher's Hospice, London.
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She was with the esteemed Asian Cancer Institute (ACI) for 8 years and was in charge of their ICU at Cumballa Hill Hospital. She was the Joint Medical Director at ACI when she decided to quit and pursue her passion in Palliative Care after seeing the need for specialists and administrators in the field, especially after the suffering endured by such patients through the pandemic.
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In 2023, She started her dedicated practice as a Palliative Care Physician.
Uncovering the Power of Palliative Care
Palliative care is specialized medical care through a multidisciplinary approach that helps you mitigate the symptoms of any life-limiting disease. It prevents and relieves suffering through early identification, correct assessment & holistic treatment of symptoms. We aim to provide physical, psycho-social, and spiritual care and well-being of the patient and caregivers.
Curated care for
Care of patients with advanced cancer requiring nutritional support, Stoma care, Care of patients during or after chemotherapy or radiation, etc.
Care of patients with Stroke (Paralysis), Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, Motor Neuron disease, or other advanced neurological illnesses.
Post-surgical care and rehabilitation after major surgery, post-transplant surgery care and rehabilitation
Interstitial lung disease, COPD, etc. for patients requiring rehabilitation
Rehabilitation after long-term ICU treatment, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy
Care of patients on regular dialysis, fistula care, symptom management
For frail, elderly persons living alone and requiring timely medical & social check-ins
Bedsore management, management of pressure ulcers, peripheral vascular disease
Methods of Care
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Home visits by qualified doctors for providing symptom management and follow-up in comfortable surroundings
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Providing quality nursing care to take care of the patients and ease the burden on the caregiver
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Physical rehabilitation is provided by physiotherapists and occupational therapists who guide you toward better health
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Psychological counsellors help cope with the mental and emotional symptoms seen in long-term patients and their caregivers
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Hospital admission and in-patient care, if required with partnered hospitals
Hospitals associated with
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Is palliative care only for the dying patients?No. Palliative care is not terminal care alone. It starts as supportive care when a life-threatening illness diagnosis is made and continues as terminal care. Bereavement support is provided for the family after the patient's death.
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Is palliative care only for cancer patients?No. Palliative care is not disease-specific. In addition to advanced cancer and stroke, patients with late-stage respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, and other diseases such as AIDS or TB also benefit from palliative care.
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Where can palliative care be delivered?It can be delivered in institutional or home-care settings. Most patients with progressive incurable diseases prefer to be at home if services to keep them comfortable are available. Institutions can provide respite care, which includes symptom management and caregiver training, or hospice care, which involves patient care until death.
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Who can deliver palliative care?What is ideally needed is a team of trained doctors and other healthcare workers – nurses, occupational therapists, counselors – supported by trained volunteers in the community.
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What is a hospice?The term 'Hospice' was initially used to denote a standalone terminal in-patient palliative care service. Many people used the terms 'hospice care,' 'palliative care,' and 'end-of-life care' interchangeably. However, they are not the same. Hospice care is one aspect of palliative care among many.
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What occurs with the underlying disease treatment upon palliative care registration?Palliative care does not conflict with treatment to control or slow down the underlying incurable disease. This treatment continues in the most appropriate form depending on the stage of the disease, and the benefit that the patient can get will stop only when it can cause more harm than good to the patient.