The Pain & Symptom Management Clinics are offered in conjunction with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Palliative Care Subprogram.

Purpose of the Clinic

Pain & Symptom Management Clinics provide a multidisciplinary assessment of patients/clients in the active or palliative phase of care. The patients/clients have symptoms related to their cancer or its treatments that are proving difficult to resolve.

Patients with symptoms related to other life-threatening conditions, such as ALS, will also be seen.

Clinic staff includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, counselors and a dietitian. Clinics are offered at both the MacCharles and St. Boniface sites of CancerCare Manitoba in Winnipeg three days per week, and once a week through the teleconferencing service of MB Telehealth, with links to health facilities in many Manitoba communities.

Family members are considered integral to the assessment process, and are encouraged to attend. These clinics provide consultation and short-term follow-up for evaluation of treatment interventions. Patients will be discharged back to their oncologist or primary care physician when symptoms have been addressed, with return consultations welcome. Patients do not have to be registered with a palliative care program to be seen.

Problems Suitable for this Clinic

(when initial interventions by the referring physician and team have not proved effective)

• pain
• nausea & vomiting
• shortness of breath
• constipation or diarrhea
• fatigue & weight loss
• depression, delirium, emotional suffering

Who May Refer

• Community-based family physicians, specialists (including oncologists) and nurses
• CancerCare Manitoba and Palliative Care Program professional staff
• Patients and families may request a referral through any of their health care providers