VA Hospital Palliative Care Unit
In November 2005, the Birmingham VAMC opened the Safe Harbor Palliative Care Unit, an 8 bed inpatient palliative care unit located on the sixth floor. Veterans who need admission for acute symptom management, respite, terminal care or other needs are cared for on the Safe Harbor Palliative Care Unit in a holistic interdisciplinary fashion with nursing, palliative medicine, pastoral care, social work and volunteers including music therapists who work together to support the veteran and family. Currently there are plans to open 4 more beds under an ACE model.
The Safe Harbor Palliative Care Unit is the culmination of a 4-year Safe Harbor Palliative Care Project developed to meet the needs of veterans. The Safe Harbor Project provides inpatient/outpatient palliative consultations, home hospice supervision inpatient Palliative Care services on the Safe Harbor Unit, and continuing education for medical providers, nurses and other ancillary health care providers throughout the medical center. The Safe Harbor Palliative Care Unit also serves as one of the clinical experiences for the Palliative Care rotation for residents and fellows.
Faculty
F. Amos Bailey, MD
Director of Palliative Care and Assistant Professor, UAB
Carol Griffin, MD
Director of Outpatient Palliative Care and Assistant Professor, UAB
Christine Ritchie, MD, MSPH
Associate Professor, UAB
Elizabeth Kvale, MD
Assistant Professor, UAB
Sandra C. Broeren, MD, MPH
Instructor
For further information contact:
SAFE HARBOR
Attention: Voncyle, Nurse Manager
Birmingham VA Medical Center
700 19th Street South
Birmingham, Alabama 35233
205-933-8101 ext: 5480