Kidney Palliative Care

Kidney palliative care services include medical care for people with serious or chronic kidney disease. Palliative care can help manage symptoms while improving well-being and providing extra support during treatment.

The experts at UPMC understand that living with kidney disease can be challenging. Our palliative care team will work closely with your kidney care specialists to develop a treatment plan that addresses your physical, mental, and social health during your kidney disease treatment.

What Is Kidney Palliative Care? 

Palliative care is a type of medical care that focuses on helping people with serious or chronic kidney conditions manage symptoms and improve overall well-being. Palliative care can also provide extra support during treatment.

To help you live your life with kidney disease, our experts:

• Discuss your values and help you decide on your treatment goals.
• Offer support and medicine to improve your mental health.
• Provide active medical management for patients who would rather avoid burdensome treatments like dialysis.
• Treat your symptoms to improve your quality of life.

What Conditions Do We Treat? 

Our palliative care team supports people who are living with a range of kidney conditions, including:

• Acute kidney injury.
• Chronic kidney disease (stage 5).
• Kidney failure.

We also care for people who are receiving dialysis, as well as those who are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.

Who’s Eligible for Kidney Palliative Care Services?

If you are receiving treatment for kidney disease and have symptoms that are affecting your quality of life, you may qualify for kidney palliative care services.

What Kidney Palliative Care Services Do We Offer? 

Our team offers a range of kidney palliative care services, including:

Pain management

If you are experiencing pain related to your kidney condition, your care team will help you treat the pain using medications and techniques that are safe for you. 

Chronic condition management

If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or other conditions related to kidney disease, our team will help you manage your condition to improve your overall health.

Education

Our palliative care team will work closely with your care team to provide you and your family with the education and information you need to understand your condition, care plan, prognosis, and treatment options.

Shared decision-making

You have the right to make decisions about the kidney disease treatments you receive.

Our palliative care experts can help understand your treatment options so you can make decisions about your care, including:

• How to manage your condition without dialysis.
• When to stop or start dialysis.
• Whether to pursue a kidney transplant.

Mental health care

Living with kidney disease can be stressful.

Our palliative care experts can help you manage anxiety, depression, and stress using tools such as:

• Individual and family counseling.
• Medication.
• Supportive therapies such as massage, meditation, and relaxation techniques.

What Can I Expect? 

Your kidney palliative care team will work closely with you and your kidney care team. Together, your care team will identify your needs for palliative care, provide the treatment you need, and connect you with other resources or care providers that can help.

Kidney palliative care services are available through telemedicine and in-person visits.

Why Choose UPMC for Kidney Palliative Care Services? 

When you choose UPMC for kidney palliative care services, you will receive:

• Access to world-class nephrology expertise — Our world-renowned experts treat the full spectrum of kidney diseases and related symptoms using the latest diagnostic and treatment techniques.
• A full range of treatment options — We'll work with you to develop a treatment plan that slows the progression of your disease as much as possible and improves your quality of life.
• Multidisciplinary care — If you need advanced kidney treatment, we partner with special dialysis clinics, experts in supportive care, and kidney transplant surgeons.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-04-24 by Evan Ray, MD, PhD.