Our Clinical Services

Find out about our clinical services, which are available both in and out of the hospital.

Our Philosophy of Care

Palliative Care is a specialty dedicated to the treatment and support of people with serious and chronic illnesses. The overall goal is to improve the quality of life for people, their families, and caregivers. Our team works with you and your doctors to help provide relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness. This support is appropriate throughout all stages of illness and can be provided along with curative treatment. The Palliative Care team will strive to enhance your care experience at Stanford.

Caring for Your Body, Mind, & Spirit

Our model of care supports people living with serious illness as well as their caregivers, families, and those close to them. Our care attends to the:

  • Body- physical illness
  • Mind - mental and emotional distress 
  • Spirit - existential distress
  • Community- Social needs that connection to community resources can meet 

What the Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Team Provides

  • Specialized and meticulous prevention and management of symptoms, including pain and side effects of treatments
  • Excellent and ongoing communication about the illness, and the person's goals, values, beliefs, and priorities
  • Psychological care (mental and emotional health care)
  • Spiritual care
  • Resources and information to address social needs (finances, housing, transportation, food, and more)
  • Care addressing caregiver and family needs

How Palliative Care at Stanford is Unique

1)   Dedication: All team members are ambassadors for palliative care and are passionate about making our services accessible to all patients and families who need them

2)   Interdisciplinary Team: We have physicians, social workers, advance practice nurses, and chaplains who are part of our team. We believe that the interdisciplinary team approach is the best way to address the needs of patients and families living with a serious illness

All of our clinicians are so passionate that this service is accessible for patients and families who need it.

Palliative Care is More Than Hospice

Many people confuse palliative care with hospice. Palliative care can be provided to people at any age and at any stage of a serious illness.  You can get it at the same time you are getting any and all of your other treatments, procedures, medications, etc.  

Hospice is a type of palliative care that is provided at the very end of someone's life, when doctors estimate they have six months or less to live.  It is not provided at the same time that you are receiving other treatments meant to cure or prolong your life.

Get connected to palliative care at Stanford Health Care

Ask for a referral

Ask your doctor or nurse to connect you to palliative care.  They will send a note (or "make a referral") for you. Your primary care doctor, hospital team, or your specialist can do this for you.

Choose where you want to be seen

We have services available in the hospital (called our inpatient consult services).  We also have clinics outside of the hospital (our outpatient palliative care).

Our clinic palliative care teams are located in Palo Alto, San Jose, Emeryville, and Pleasanton.

Our clinic palliative care teams provide:  in-person visits, video visits, and telephone visits