Palliative Medicine

Palliative Medicine is for patients with, but not limited to:

• Advanced cancer
• Cancer with pain or other symptoms
• End stage organ failure

Our multi-disciplinary palliative care team works to relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for our patients. Services provided include:

• Inpatient Palliative Care Services, Our team of doctors, nurses, social workers and pharmacists conducts regular ward rounds to ensure that patients’ symptoms are well managed. Family members are encouraged to engage the team for their loved ones’ care plan.
• Dedicated Palliative Care Ward Tan Tock Seng Hospital operates a specialised 13-single bedded Palliative Care ward to cater to the unique needs of frail and symptomatic patients. Equipped with specially-trained palliative care nurses and therapists, the team provides symptom management and End-Of-Life care support.
• Outpatient Palliative Care Services Consultations and follow-up are available in our Palliative Care Clinic. For appointments, please call 6889 4747 / 6889 4534.
• Care Continuity We collaborate with Hospice partners to ensure seamless care transition for patients who transit to home or to inpatient hospices to receive palliative care. Some of the hospices which we partner with include Dover Park Hospice, Assisi Hospice and HCA Hospice Care.
• Art therapy Our HEaling ART (HEART) programme was started in 2017, with the aim of providing art therapy to patients under palliative care. Art therapy is form of psychotherapy that uses art as a medium to address confusing and distressing emotional issues. Creating art provides our patients a chance to connect with others in non-verbal ways, and to give them choice and autonomy in a difficult time that is often isolating. You can support the HEART programme by make a donation.
• Music therapy Music therapy is the systematic use of music within a therapeutic relationship which aims at restoring, maintaining and furthering emotional, physical and mental health in palliative care. It has been shown to alleviate pain and symptoms, improve anxiety and depression, and enhance communication. We are working on bringing music therapy to our patients, to utilise the social and communicative nature of music to bring about positive changes in mood and encourage emotional release.