The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Supportive Care Clinic recently moved to its newest location in the Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital. The space is tailored specifically to meet each patient’s needs and includes a telehealth room, counseling rooms, and a physical therapy and massage room. The clinic is also home to an impressive collection of works of art by local artists.
The UAB Supportive Care Clinic recently moved to its newest location in the Kirklin Clinic, with new telehealth, counseling and therapy rooms, and a collection of local art. Last month, the UAB Center for Palliative and Supportive Care held a blessing of the clinic with UAB Chaplain Moneka Thompson and led a virtual tour to showcase the space.
“We are really excited to provide our patients and their families with a space that is carefully designed to meet each of their needs,” said Keith Swetz, M.D. director of the Supportive Care Clinic. “We hope our visitors feel a sense of peace and comfort every time they walk through our doors.”
Palliative and supportive care is specialized medical care for people living with serious or life-threatening illnesses. This type of care is designed to improve the quality of life for patients and their families by providing relief from the symptoms and stress of each patient’s illness. The Supportive Care Clinic takes an interdisciplinary approach to caring for each of its patients.
The telehealth room provides an area for physicians to complete telehealth visits with patients across the state and to consult with other health care providers. This room was made possible by a donor and friend of the program and allows patients to seek the treatment they need without having to travel to UAB.
The art within the telehealth room is a collection of pieces by Yellowhammer Creative showcasing local Birmingham landmarks including Railroad Park, Alabama Theatre and Sloss Furnace. Guests will also encounter an installation created by Thomas Rosenstiel, M.D., a cancer survivor and former patient. The piece, located at the front of the clinic, creates a calming atmosphere and is a testament to his own cancer journey and experience with the palliative care team. As patients move deeper within the facility, a collection of kaleidographs by David Corliss, Ph.D., provides eye-catching visuals for patients and their families.
The clinic also features counseling rooms and a physical therapy and massage room that allow for personalized care. The counseling rooms provide a comfortable space where a psychologist and counselors can meet with patients and families or provide telehealth services to patients in need of psychology or counseling services. The physical therapy and massage therapy room is equipped with a high/low table easily accessible to patients. With this table, therapists can comfortably position patients for treatment.
This clinic is just one of the many ways that UAB Medicine’s Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care delivers world-class care for both inpatients and outpatients with serious illnesses. The palliative care team develops individual treatment plans for each patient and assists with their physical, emotional, social, family and spiritual needs. To learn more about the clinic, visit uabmedicine.org/palliativecare.