The Palliative Care Service at TGH has been providing specialized, interdisciplinary support for inpatients and their families facing serious illness for over 20 years. Our team of physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, chaplains, and pharmacists work together to relieve symptoms such as pain, breathing difficulty, and other distressing conditions, while also addressing emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial needs. Unlike hospice, palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness alongside active treatment. Guided by compassion and clinical expertise, we are dedicated to improving quality of life for our patients.
Our Mission
To provide compassionate, patient- and family-centered care for individuals facing serious illness during hospitalization. To improving quality of life through expert symptom management, clear communication, and coordinated interdisciplinary support.
Our Vision
We strive to be leaders in hospital-based Palliative Care. Delivering compassionate, personalized support for patients and families. Our vision is for every individual to receive holistic care that respects their values and goals, with seamless collaboration among care teams to relieve suffering and uphold dignity during a serious illness.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) Care is specialized medical care for individuals with serious illnesses that aims to improve quality of life and alleviate symptoms, regardless of the stage of disease, even while seeking aggressive interventions.
Inpatient Services Provided
The Palliative Care Team provides support to families and caregivers in several ways:
- We help patients and families understand the extent of their illness, their treatment options, and what to expect in the future to reduce uncertainty and stress.
- We assist with complex decision making and determining what is most important for our patients’ treatment plan.
- We provide relief from symptoms related to illnesses including cancer related pain, anxiety, and shortness of breath.
Interdisciplinary Team
The Palliative Care Team at TGH works as a team of experts including physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, counselors, and chaplains. This collaboration improves communication, aligns care goals, enhances symptom management, and addresses the complex physical and emotional needs of patients, resulting in better outcomes and greater patient satisfaction.
Meet Our Palliative Care Leadership Team
Amanda Wilson Morris, MD FAAHPM
Medical Director, Palliative Care Services
Brandon Hollis
Service Line Manager
Jackie Higginbottom, APRN, FNP-C, ACHPN
Palliative Care Lead Nurse Practitioner
Palliative Care Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Palliative Care and Hospice are similar in their focus on quality of life for patients facing serious illnesses. However, Palliative Care can be provided at any stage of an illness and while patients are seeking aggressive or curative therapies. Hospice focuses on end-of-life symptom management and comfort care while ensuring dignity during the final stages of someone’s life. Palliative Care services can be provided in any environment such as hospital, rehab, or home, while Hospice services are usually provided in home or long-term settings (Assisted Living Facility or Long-Term Acute Care).
While admitted to TGH, evaluation and referral from your treatment team can begin the process to get connected with the inpatient Palliative Care team.
Bedside evaluation of the patient, followed by a collaboration with patient/family and treatment teams on best care plan moving forward.
Patients who are being cared for through the TGH Cancer Institute can request a referral to the Palliative Care Outpatient clinic from their treatment team.
Open our Resources tab to find more helpful information for palliative care patients and families.
Resources
Center to Advanced Palliative Care (CAPC):
The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) is a national organization dedicated to increasing the availability of quality, equitable health care for people living with serious illness. As the nation’s leading resource in its field, CAPC provides health care professionals and organizations with the training, tools, and technical assistance necessary to effectively meet this need. CAPC is funded through organizational membership and the generous support of foundations and private philanthropy. It is part of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York City.
Get Palliative Care:
Get Palliative Care provides clear, comprehensive palliative care information for people living with a serious illness. Key features of the site include a Palliative Care Provider Directory and detailed descriptions of what palliative care does and how to get it. It also provides an interactive quiz to assist you in deciding whether palliative care might be right for you or a loved one.
TGH Spiritual Care (Department of Spiritual Health and Education)
The TGH Department of Spiritual Health and Education provides a chaplaincy ministry at Tampa General Hospital. Through our accredited programs of ministry training, they combine ministry and education, serving both the patients of the hospital and ministers seeking to become more effective servants of the people.
Advanced Care Planning
Five Wishes:
Five Wishes is the first advance care plan addressing medical, personal, emotional, and spiritual preferences. Created with input from legal and healthcare experts and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Five Wishes combines clarity with a compassionate, person-centered approach. The program offers tools designed to facilitate end-of-life discussions, enabling individuals to document their preferences and helping families make informed choices.
National Institute on Aging: Advance Directives for Health Care:
NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, , leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life.
Caring Info Advance Directive:
CaringInfo offers free state-specific advance directives as fillable PDF files online.
TGH Cancer Institute Support Services
The TGH Cancer Institutes offers a comprehensive range of Support Services to patients throughout their journey to recovery.
Support Our Mission
Your donations can fund our work and help patients and families. Consider making a gift of support to the organization’s mission to heal, teach, innovate, and care for everyone, every day.