May 2010

Prairie du Chien Hospice/Palliative Care chosen for Rural Palliative Care Project Site

Prairie du Chien Hospice/Palliative Care of Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital has been selected as a Project Site for a Rural Palliative Care Project which is being implemented by THE HOPE of Wisconsin and UW-Comprehensive Cancer Center through a grant funded by the Wisconsin Community-Academic Partnership Fund. The project’s academic partner is a designated Palliative Care Specialist, Dr. James Cleary. The project’s aim is to promote palliative care in rural areas through educational outreach and programming working with area physicians. Palliative Care provides supportive treatment for individuals with life-limiting illnesses who may still be seeking aggressive treatment, and can benefit from the symptom management and specialized care provided by Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital’s Palliative Care Team.

Over the last few months, Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital’s Palliative Care Team has been implementing the project design by recruiting area physicians to participate in this important initiative. It has been extremely well received with physicians throughout the area enrolled in the assessment and education process to determine what materials and tools are helpful to each of them. Participating physicians are from Franciscan Skemp-Prairie du Chien Clinic, Prairie du Chien; Gundersen Lutheran-Prairie du Chien Clinic; Great River Community Medical Clinic, Prairie du Chien; and Emergency Room Physicians at Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital.

Marsha Konichek, RN, Palliative Care Coordinator, explains, “This grant will allow us to inform and share with area physicians palliative care topics including pain/symptom management, spiritual and psychosocial issues, and end-of-life planning.”

Promoting Palliative Care is a win for the project sites, physicians, and the patients and their families being served – a great community opportunity. If you are interested in more information about Palliative Care, please call Marsha Konichek at 608-357-2000 or toll free 1-888-439-6680.