Bayhealth Palliative Care expands with new location 

More and more area residents and their family members are struggling with serious or long-term illnesses, and they’re not sure where to turn for help.

That’s where palliative care can come in – a medical specialty focused on helping individuals cope and live better with very serious or chronic illnesses.

Bayhealth has been growing the outpatient palliative care services it offers to address increasing needs in the community. With a new medical practice location and expanded team, Bayhealth Palliative Care is now open at 530 S. State St., Suite 107, Dover, and it is accepting new patient appointments. The practice moved from its former location at 103 Wolf Creek Blvd., Suite 2, in Dover.

Palliative care is sometimes confused with, but differs from, hospice or end-of-life care. It can be used at any stage of disease, and aims to reduce stress and symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping and fatigue, which often accompany different types of serious illness. Palliative care also helps patients and their caregivers better understand the nature of their condition and their care options, and better manage it for an improved quality of life.

Bayhealth first launched an inpatient palliative care program to hospitalized patients in 2016. In following years, the program grew and similar services were offered on an outpatient basis through appointments. The Bayhealth Palliative Care practice has a highly trained team consisting of one physician and four nurse practitioners, who are all accepting new patients. One nurse practitioner is based at Bayhealth Hospital Sussex Campus in Milford.

“We know palliative care is fulfilling an important need in our community for those suffering from serious illnesses, such as cancer, congestive heart failure, COPD or kidney failure, among many others,” said Dina Perry, MBA, vice president of Bayhealth Medical Group Physician Services. “We’re pleased to offer even more services with our Bayhealth Palliative Care practice and new location. Our skilled and empathetic providers are here and available to help individuals live better and more comfortably despite the complexities of their condition, and to help families and caregivers in best supporting them.”

To learn more about the Bayhealth Palliative Care practice and providers, go to Bayhealth.org/Medical-Group. To make an appointment, call 302-608-5299.