Pain and Palliative Medicine fellows will be assigned a continuity clinic one half-day-per-week for the entire year, during which the fellow sees 3-5 patients, some new and some who are being followed longitudinally, after discharge from the hospital. The Clinic is staffed, on a rotating basis, by the physician faculty. In addition, the psychologist participates in the clinic regularly to assist with psychosocial problems and aberrant behaviors, and a Pharmacist provides a comprehensive pharmacologic program appropriate for each patient. Multiple health care professionals from other palliative disciplines, such as radiation oncology, anesthesia/acute pain service, medical and surgical oncology are readily available for consultation in the care of these complex patients. Our fellows will get an additional pediatric outpatient experience during their rotation at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Nationwide has a multidisciplinary pain clinic that includes integrative approaches to care. The Ambulatory Care Experience, much like the Consultation Experience, reinforces the development of communication skills, both as a consultant and in teaching and discussing management and prognosis with patients and their families.
Our fellows will follow at least 25 patients longitudinally across the continuum of care. This is possible through the continuity clinic which allows the fellows to follow patients as both inpatient and outpatient. Given that the James Cancer Hospital is a major referral source for Zusman Community Hospice, the fellow is afforded meaningful continuity of care for patients previously cared for at the James Cancer Hospital after qualified patients are transferred. Additionally, we plan to have our fellows serve as the contact physician for home hospices on any continuity clinic patients that are referred to home hospice care.
