University of Connecticut Health (UConn) John Dempsey Hospital is expanding its palliative care program, including a new outpatient clinic.

The UConn health system first invested in outpatient palliative care eight years ago at the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. Patient volume at that initial center has increased 250% since its founding, according to an internal publication UConn Today.

The need for greater access to palliative care became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Sarah Loschiavo, nursing director of palliative medicine, supportive care and hospice services at John Dempsey Hospital. This led to the development of an inpatient palliative care team that launched a year ago at John Dempsey.

Now the hospital has launched a new outpatient facility devoted to palliative care, primarily those with non-cancer diagnoses.

“This was a great start to a brand-new service,” Loschiavo told UConn Today. “It’s a testament to the specialty palliative care providers that are part of the team and the collaboration with the hospitalist and specialty care teams which impacts the care of their patients. They are seeing the benefit from the patient and family side, as well as quality care and improved clinical outcomes so they are referring again.”

Two physicians staff the clinic, along with nurses and members of other disciplines. One of the physicians is Dr. Mary Buss, a practicing palliative care physician and trained oncologist, who began at UConn Health in October as the director of palliative care services. The second is geriatrician Dr. Germaine Soliman.

Buss is also leading the charge on developing a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship program at UConn.

“Palliative care by nature is interdisciplinary so we intend to bring together a team that works together and functions well, recognizing the important role different disciplines, including social work, spiritual care and pharmacy, in addition to medicine and nursing, in improving the quality of life for our patients and their families,” Buss told UConn Today.