The Shirley and Philip Granovsky Palliative Care Unit

Program description:

• The Palliative Care Unit is a 31-bed unit providing 24-hour pain and symptom management in combination with emotional and spiritual support to patients with late or end-stage disease in need of palliative care.
• Applications for short term pain and symptom management may be considered.

Goals of the program:

• An integrated, interdisciplinary holistic approach to care encourages a support network among patients, family, staff and volunteers.
• The focus of care is on pain and symptom management.

• Inclusion
  • Adults aged 55 and older who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness requiring palliative care (24-hour pain and symptom control)
  • Patient is medically stable (i.e. does not require acute care intervention)
  • If patient smokes, is able to do so safely and make own arrangements
  • Patient and power of attorney/substitute decision maker will understand and accept the philosophy of palliative care and reason for admission.
  • Expected prognosis of 90 days of less
  • Should the patient’s condition/care needs stabilize, the patient or substitute decision maker is expected to cooperate in discharge planning to transition to an appropriate destination

• Exclusion
  • Dialysis
  • Mechanical ventilation
  • Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)
  • Cuffed Tracheostomy Tube
  • Needs greater than 50% Oxygen
  • Total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
  • Bariatric equipment needs (300lbs +)
  • Patients requesting resuscitation
  • Patients seeking life-prolonging active intervention/treatment

Application Process:

• An application can be sent by the patient’s health care team in acute care through the Resource Matching and Referral (RMR) system or via fax: 416-785-2471. For fax referrals, please use the Palliative Care Common Referral form.
• Applications are reviewed by the palliative care team for appropriateness.

Information for Professionals Completing Applications to Palliative Care:

• Get more information about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in the hospital.
• The professional completing the application for Palliative Care must identify when a referred patient has requested MAID with details on the status of the request. Patients who meet the admission criteria for Baycrest Palliative Care Unit may be admitted to Baycrest hospital and will be supported with exceptional palliative care. However, the referring professional must inform the patient that Baycrest Hospital does not provide MAID and will support a transfer to an external location for the administration of MAID.

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