IP for patients with serious illness or complex medical problems
Our inpatient facility can accommodate 10 patients at a time. The semi-private rooms are allocated on the basis of each person's clinical need. Patients may move rooms during their stay.
Patients are admitted mainly for 3 reasons. When some of the symptoms become out of control, they are admitted for a few days and will be discharged in a few days or weeks and goes back home.
The second reason is for terminal care. Most of our patients have only limited life expectancy. We try to empower the patients and the families for achieving a peaceful end to their life at their own homes. But on certain occasions, patients will have symptoms which the caregivers find it difficult to manage at their own home. Such patients will be admitted for end of life care.
The third category of admission is for respite care. There are occasions when the primary caregiver in the family becomes 'burn out'. In such a situation the patient is admitted to the IP unit and relieves the caregiver from the burden of care. After a period of 7 to 10 days, the caregiver will be re-charged and they go back home to continue care from home.
Admission
Admission is referral based. If you or someone you know could benefit from inpatient palliative care, talk to your doctor about a referral or consult with our Outpatient clinic.The patients with advanced illness and who are already registered with us will be admitted directly from home to the Inpatient Unit. While coming to the inpatient service, the patient has to bring the medications that are currently taking, treatment history details, clothing for his stay. Families can bring food to patients and the visiting hours are flexible.
Patients are reviewed by our team each day and the patients those who are recovered or improved during the inpatient services can transition smoothly to the Outpatient palliative care unit (OP) or Home care service.
The first admission to the IP was made on 5th November 2008 and over a period of ten years, a total member of 4900 patients was admitted. The sad part is that 25 percent of patients admitted had their end in the IP, but all of them had a peaceful and honourable end.
Facility & Support
The inpatient ward was started in 2008 with the financial help of Rs: 10 lakhs from the development fund of Shri. C. K. Chandrappan, the former MP of Thrissur. The Rotary Club of Thrissur Central provided equipment worth 10.31 lakhs for the functioning of the IP unit. With the joint support of Thrissur MP. Shri:P.C Chacko ( Rs: 10 lakhs) and the South Indian Bank Officers Association (Rs: 5.5 lakhs) we could erect a lift to the upper floor where the IP unit is functioning. This is a great relief to the patients as well as to the volunteers who had to carry the patients to the IP. The Dhanalakshmi Bank Officers Organization donated a generator ( 4.50 lakhs) which ensures uninterrupted power supply for the smooth functioning of the lift and the clinic.