EvergreenHealth Launches Palliative Care Outpatient Practice

KIRKLAND, Wash., April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- EvergreenHealth's Palliative Care Services recently launched its outpatient practice, which offers patients with serious illnesses the opportunity to seek treatment from board-certified palliative care physicians in an outpatient setting.

Housed within the EvergreenHealth Pulmonary Care Center, physicians at the outpatient practice collaborate closely with the members of each patient's medical team to ensure that quality of life is maximized at any stage of a serious illness. Palliative care providers work with patients to address symptoms, plan for the future and deliver focused support from physicians experienced in the care of patients with serious illnesses.

"Our new palliative care outpatient practice allows our experienced physicians to reach a growing population of people with serious illness who will benefit from consultation regarding medical decision-making, management of pain and other symptoms, or both.  By expanding our outpatient services, we are able to provide an important level of support to those patients and families who may find themselves unsure of what steps to take next in managing complex illness," said Monique Ruyle, vice president of clinical integration and home care for EvergreenHealth.

Palliative care is a specialty service that focuses on providing patients with serious illnesses relief from pain and other symptoms. Palliative care provides an extra layer of support and can be integrated with curative treatment. Palliative care providers spend time with patients and families to clarify goals and work to ensure the medical care provided through each patient's course of illness is aligned with these goals.

EvergreenHealth Palliative Care outpatient practice is led by experienced doctors David Kregenow, MD, and Hope Wechkin, MD. Dr. Kregenow is passionate about partnering with patients and their family members to provide high-quality health care that fits the patients' and family's needs. Dr. Wechkin has specialized in palliative care since 2007 and has been a driving force in the expansion of services to patients with serious illnesses throughout King and Snohomish counties.

EvergreenHealth Palliative Care outpatient practice accepts patients upon physician referral. More information about palliative care options and physician referrals is available at www.evergreenhealth.com or by calling the EvergreenHealth Palliative Care program at 425-899-3224.

About EvergreenHealth
EvergreenHealth, a public hospital district, is an integrated health care system that serves nearly 850,000 residents in northern King and southern Snohomish counties. In addition to the 318-bed acute care hospital on EvergreenHealth's main campus in Kirkland, which includes 24-hour Level III trauma emergency and critical care, EvergreenHealth provides primary, urgent, specialty  and 24/7 emergency care at its  EvergreenHealth Medical Center in Redmond. EvergreenHealth also operates nine primary care clinics, an additional urgent care center in Woodinville and a senior clinic. More than 950 physicians on EvergreenHealth's medical staff provide clinical excellence within more than 70 specialties, including cardiac, surgical, orthopedic, cancer, neurological, neonatal, hospice, pulmonary, sleep, and home-health care. In addition to clinical care, EvergreenHealth offers extensive community health outreach and education programs, anchored by the 24/7 EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigator & Healthline. For more information, visit www.evergreenhealth.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Kay Taylor
Vice President, Marketing, Communications & PR
EvergreenHealth
425.899.2604
[email protected]

Kristi Clough
Firmani + Associates Inc.
206.443.9357
[email protected]

SOURCE EvergreenHealth