How To Find A Doctor Who Specializes In Pain Management (Palliative Care)
How To Find A Doctor Who Is A Palliative Care Specialist - a specialist in treating pain and other symptoms of serious illness such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, ALS, MS, Parkinson's Disease and/or Heart Disease DONE
A Palliative Care doctor specializes in treatment of pain and other disease symptoms.
- It is a mistake to think that Palliative care can only be used when a patient cannot be cured or is at end of life. Palliative care can be given at any disease stage.
- Palliative care can be given by the doctor who is working to cure a health condition or by a different doctor who works with the patient at the same time.
- Palliative care can be provided at your home, in a hospital, nursing home or assisted living facliity.
To locate a palliative care doctor:
- Ask your doctor for a referral.
- Contact:
- The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine at www.association-office.com/ABHPM/etools/publicdir/search.cfm
- American Academy of Pain Medicine, www.painmed.org, Tel. 847-375-4731 (Illinois)
- American Board of Medical Specialties, www.abms.org. Search for pain specialist by city or state. If you need additional information about a doctor, seewww.ama-assn.org, search on "Doctor finder"
- American Board of Hospice & Palliative Care: www.abhpm.org/Locator.aspx. Search by city or state to find a local, ABHPC-certified doctor
- American Pain Foundation, www.painfoundation.org. Tel: 888.615.7246
- A local cancer hospital.
- Staff of a local hospice.
Before choosing a Palliative care doctor, consider whether he or she works for your needs in the same manner in which you would choose any doctor. If you want information on choosing a doctor as an educated consumer, see the article in "To Learn More."