What Is a Palliative Care Physician?

A palliative care physician is a doctor who treats the symptoms of a disease rather than curing the disease. Patients with a terminal illness nearly always receive care from one of these types of doctors, but any patient with a serious illness, whether or not it is treatable, can often benefit from palliative care. One of the main things that a palliative care physician does is to work with a patient to manage the pain caused by a disease. Another of the responsibilities of this type of physician is to help a patient understand the nature of the illness and the treatment options that are available.

Patients who receive palliative care are often tended to by a team of doctors, nurses, and specialists. A palliative care physician may lead this team of professionals or may act as a part of the team when there are multiple physicians involved. Whatever his or her specific role, a palliative care physician must have completed medical school and a medical residency before taking responsibility for patients.

Pain management is a major component of the job of a palliative care physician because many diseases cause serious pain for patients. Palliative care for pain can include medication, surgery, pain pumps, or other means to help improve a patient's quality of life. If the disease is treatable, the physician may have to balance the relief of a patient's suffering against the potential for dependency on medication.

The management of other symptoms of a disease can also fall to a palliative care physician. Patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, for example, often experience severe nausea as a side effect of their treatment. Other diseases or the treatments for them can cause symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, or confusion. A palliative care physician may prescribe additional medication to treat these symptoms. Alternatively, the physician may work with a patient to suggest lifestyle changes that can relieve some of these symptoms.

The alleviation of other types of suffering may also be a part of a palliative care physician's role. Patients with long-term diseases rely on the palliative care team to help manage the stress associated with the illness. Physicians may work closely with patients to explain the disease process and to help patients to decide on the best treatment plan. If the patient is suffering in any other way, a palliative care physician attempts to ease that suffering as well.