Dr. Levine on Palliative Care for NSCLC

Stacie Levine, MD, associate professor of Medicine, director, Geriatrics and Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program, University of Chicago Medicine, discusses the benefits of palliative care for patients with non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

At the University of Chicago Medicine, there is a palliative care provider in clinic with the medical oncologist treating the patient. It is never known what the patient needs are that day, so having a palliative care provider available makes sense, explains Levine.

A patient who has palliative care needs can be addressed at that visit without needing to make an additional appointment. When a patient is referred too late for palliative care, there is a missed opportunity because patients seem to live longer when they have a higher quality of life, states Levine.