Cancer Center Annual Report 2006 - St. Mary Medical Center

encourages active participation in treatment decisions. Oncology
pain and associated symptoms can be aggressively treated with
several methods, including analgesics and ablative procedures, as
well as cognitive strategies. Our physician and nursing staff are
dedicated to excellence in our pursuit of pain control for oncology
patients in our community.
SUPPORTIVE CARE / PALLIATIVE CARE
The supportive care program is a consultant service that addresses
the needs of those with life-limiting illnesses. The supportive care
nurse and supportive care social worker facilitate communication
among the interdisciplinary team, patients, and their families. Supportive
care assists patients and families in identifying preferences
and goals, and provides supportive counseling on decision-making
options. The supportive care team is available to facilitate a plan and
arrange services based on the patient’s and family’s preferences.
Referrals can be initiated from physicians, nurses, social workers,
chaplains, or families and patients. Referrals can be made for both
inpatients and outpatients, patients from the Cancer Center, or any
physician’s office. The Supportive Care/Palliative Care program was
consulted on behalf of 626 patients in 2006.
HEALING MINISTRIES
In 2002, the Women’s Guild of St. Mary established a compassionate
initiative called Healing Ministries. Today, this program offers
customized holistic services, free of charge, to help our cancer
patients cope with the emotional and physical challenges that arise
during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. As of December 2006,
564 individuals participated in this program, receiving over 3,200
services and classes.
Healing Ministries ensures a continuum of care. It is the way in
which St. Mary can extend quality of care beyond leading-edge
treatment to embrace the person who is affected by the disease
physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Healing Ministries also allows
for a multidisciplinary treatment approach by combining the best
medicine has to offer with holistic services such as massage, Reiki,
guided imagery, and more, recognizing that healing is a journey not
only of the body but also of the mind and the heart. The Healing
Ministries program is supported solely through private donations
and fundraising activities such as Circle of Hope Bracelets. It is
St. Mary’s way of introducing our patients to the concept of true
healing: a caring and compassionate resource that returns quality
of life to a person at a very difficult time.
ANNUAL REPORT 2006
St. Mary Cancer Center
| 14 |