Hospice Care Guidance Through the Palliative and Supportive Institute

What is Hospice Care?

When a cure is not possible, hospice care is a way of affirming life while recognizing that death is life's natural outcome. Hospice care can reduce anxiety and provide a sense of completion to the patient and to his or her family. We work together to maintain the patient's quality of life by:

• Managing pain
• Providing psychological and spiritual support
• Handling practical details

Offering Guidance to Hospice Care

The UPMC Palliative and Supportive Institute assists patients who are approaching the end of life by offering guidance and referrals to hospice care providers. 

The Circle of Life

The American Hospital Association awarded UPMC its Circle of Life award in 2011 to recognize our organization's excellence in end-of-life care. Leaders in medicine, nursing, social work, ethics, and health administration make up the committee that awards the Circle of Life, which celebrates the achievements of hospice and palliative care programs all over the United States.