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Palliative Care

CONTACT US
Palliative Care Program
Phone: 714-509-8960
Email: palliativecare@choc.org
1201 W. La Veta Ave.
Orange, CA 92868

CHOC’s Palliative Care program is here to give extra support and reduce the amount of suffering experienced by patients with complex medical conditions. We are here to help patients, the people who love them and the healthcare team that cares for them.

The Palliative Care Team supports you by:

  • Providing initial consultations and follow up help in the hospital, OPI, and other clinics
  • Easing pain and managing symptoms and side effects
  • Helping with communication between families and health care providers
  • Identifying goals of and aligning all involved with the medical care plan
  • Educating healthcare staff

CHOC is the only children’s hospital in Orange County with a pediatric palliative care program. Our team is available to provide care in the inpatient and outpatient setting. We will work with your other healthcare providers.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is specialized, medical care for people living with a serious illness. It provides relief from the symptoms and stress of illness to enhance quality of life. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.

Palliative care is based on the needs of the patient, not on the patient’s prognosis. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness. It can be provided along with curative treatment. Palliative care can happen at the same time as hospice and end-of-life care, but it is not actual end of life care.

Who does palliative care help?

A palliative care consultation may be helpful for patients who:

  • Have a serious illness.
  • Would benefit from extra symptom and pain management
  • Want increased focus on improving quality of life and family support

During a consultation, families and members of our care team would discuss:

  • The goals of care,
  • Care preferences,
  • Advanced care planning,
  • Any spiritual and/or psycho-social distress

Frequently Asked Questions about Palliative Care

Both palliative care and hospice care help to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Palliative care is used for chronic or life-limiting illnesses. Hospice care is used at the end of a patient’s life. Our palliative and hospice care services can be provided alongside regular medical treatments. Patients receiving hospice care can also receive palliative care if needed.
There is always something that can be done for your child. Our team will talk with you and help you determine the most important goals for your child and your family. We will support you in meeting those goals and making decisions for your child that show how much you love them.
Our team helps families recognize the signs of pain or discomfort in a child. These signs may include tension around the eyes or mouth, or a “worried look” on the child’s face. By knowing these signs, we can respond with medication and non-medication treatments to help ease a child’s pain.
It is very natural to have uncertainty when a family has a sick child. Our team will work closely with your family to help you cope with questions you may have.
No, they will not. Palliative Care is an extra service that is available for your child and family. It adds to the support and care that is provided. Treatment will not be kept from your child just because they are under the care of the Palliative Care Team.
No, it will not. The palliative care team’s goal is to support and advocate for the patient and the family. They work hard to improve communication between all members of the medical team.

Meet our Team

Keating, Sarah L. MD

Specialty: Palliative Care
Office: 714-509-8960

Dr. Sarah Keating is board certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, and hospice and palliative care who treats kids and teens in Orange County.

Platz, Melissa NP

Specialty: Palliative Care
Office: 714-509-8960

Melissa Platz is a nationally board-certified acute and primary care pediatric nurse practitioner who treats critically ill children in Orange County.

Halman, Erin M. MD

Specialties: Palliative Care, Pediatrics
Office: 714-509-8960

Dr. Erin M. Halman is board certified in pediatrics and who treats kids and teens in Orange County.

Ghader, Yalda NP

Specialty: Palliative Care
Office: 714-509-8960

Yalda Ghader is a nationally board-certified acute and primary care pediatric nurse practitioner who treats critically ill children in Orange County.

Gardenia Bush, MHA

Gardenia Bush, MHA
Program Administrator

Joana Harrison, BSN, RN, CPHON, CPN

Joana Harrison, BSN, RN, CPHON, CPN
Pediatric Palliative Care Nurse

Karina Ousley, MSW, LCSW

Karina Ousley, MSW, LCSW
Social Worker

Ellen Servetar, MS, RN, NEA-BC

Ellen Servetar, MS, RN, NEA-BC
Director Clinical Services

Priscilla Gamino

Priscilla Gamino
Administrative Assistant