Palliative Medicine Program

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. This type of care involves addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs - whatever the diagnosis.

Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center's Palliative Care program is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and can be provided together with curative treatment.

The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative Care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work with a patient's health care providers to offer an extra layer of support.

Scope of Services

Palliative care provides support by not only controlling symptoms, but also assists patients and their families to understand the treatment goals and options.

The team assists families with difficult and complex treatment choices and emotional support.

Core Palliative Services

Assessment and management of symptoms including pain, dyspnea, depression, anxiety and delirium
Symptom management
Diagnosis and prognosis discussions
Development of goals of care
Advance care planning
Support for family conferences
Patient and family counseling
Disposition assessment for patients with potentially life-limiting or life-threatening condition
Assist care management team

Mission Statement

To provide compassionate, comprehensive and interdisciplinary care that reduces suffering and optimizes quality of life by addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs for patients and families experiencing serious illness.

Key Personnel
Stacie Pinderhughes, MD, chairs the Division of Palliative Medicine, and is Medical Director of the Palliative Medicine Program. She is certified in Palliative Medicine, Geriatrics and Internal Medicine. Dr. Pinderhughes received her Medical Degree from the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. She completed her residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J.

Julie Lehn, PharmD, is the Doctor of Pharmacy on the Palliative Care team. Dr. Lehn earned her Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from the University of Iowa. She completed her PGY1 post-graduate residency at the Phoenix VA Medical Center. Dr. Lehn’s clinical pharmacy practice arena was Internal Medicine for nine years prior to her transition into Palliative Medicine in 2010.

Rachael Crane, LMSW is the program's Licensed Master Social Worker. Ms. Crane is licensed by the State of Arizona Board of Behavioral Health. Crane's clinical work includes long-term care facilities as social worker specializing in geriatric psychiatric care as well as mental health counselor with clients having serious mental illness.

For more information on the Palliative Medicine Program at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center or to schedule an appointment to speak with a program representative, please call the Palliative Medicine office at (602) 839-5843, or the on-call pager at (602) 201-6523.