Documenting COVID-19: Stony Brook University Experiences

Healthcare Hero: Grace LaTorre, Director, Palliative Care Service, Stony Brook University Hospital; Program Director, Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship; Director, Hospice & Palliative Medicine Education and Clerkships; Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook Medicine

Stony Brook University. University Libraries

As a Palliative Care physician, I care for patients with serious illnesses and those nearing end-of-life. The job of the Palliative Care Team is to support patients and their families and bring them together during a very difficult time. COVID has made this rather difficult, so we had to adapt and get creative. We’ve had to figure out a way to enable families to grieve and be with their loved ones. We have utilized technology like iPads and video chatting, which was challenging and didn’t feel natural at first, but we have adapted. And this wasn’t the only challenge we faced. We’ve had a tremendous increase in the number of patients we were supporting, and our consult volume across the hospital went up about 40 percent. We are working to our max, while at the same time sacrificing the time spent with our own families. We’ve made a lot of headway in terms of how to deal with this pandemic, however, we are still in it. We are still seeing a rise in cases. I urge people to not underestimate or minimize the reality of what’s happening here. We are continuing to work as hard as we have been since the pandemic first hit. It’s real. It’s here. And we can address this together if we all continue to wear our masks, maintain social distance, and avoid large gatherings. Respect your life. Respect others’ lives. It is going to take all of us to really get through this."

Stony Brook University

COVID-19 (Disease) -- Treatment

Medical personnel

Palliative treatment

Stony Brook University. University Hospital

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2021-06-13