Care in the hospital
If you or your loved one is admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital, our team of doctors will work with you and your existing care team to manage the symptoms that cause you discomfort or distress, such as pain, nausea and fatigue. We work closely with the other staff in the hospital, including nursing, social work, volunteer services, chaplaincy and rehabilitation medicine, to ensure you are getting the best care possible.
Together, we will support you and your family, and help you find ways to cope. We will also work with you to make decisions about your future treatment and care.
How can I be referred?
Referrals to our In-Hospital Care Program come from many areas within the hospital, including:
- General Internal Medicine Units
- Surgery
- Surgical Oncology
- Medical Oncology
- Emergency Department
- Intensive Care Unit
- Cardiac Care Unit
- Neonatology team.
If you would like to have someone from our team visit, just ask your doctor or nurse to contact our team at 416.586.4800 x1544.
When are your doctors available?
We have a doctor available to work with your care team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What support is available for family members and loved ones?
When patients near the end of life, it is important for their loved ones to get the support they need. Our Comfort Tray Program provides family members visiting palliative patients in Mount Sinai Hospital with a cart filled with food, refreshments and personal care items. The volunteers can also help patients' loved ones with practical tasks or listen as they share their feelings.
Anyone on your care team can request the tray from specially trained palliative volunteers.
What happens when it is time for me to leave the hospital?
When a patient is discharged from the hospital, our team will help you and your family decide where the best place is for your continued care. Sometimes the best care is at home. Or sometimes it is in a long-term care home or a specialized Palliative Care Unit in another hospital. Wherever you decide, it is our priority to ensure a smooth and seamless transition to your new place of care.
If you decide to be cared for at home, you may be asked to see our doctor in our clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital. Otherwise, if you live within our service area, you may become a patient of our Home-Care Program. If you live outside of our service area, we will work with your family physician to ensure the best possible care for you.
To prepare for your return home, our doctor will meet with a representative from the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) to plan for all the necessary services you will need.
It is important for you and your loved ones to discuss any issues you have to ensure that they are addressed before going home, including your:
- physical symptoms
- expectations for the future
- hopes and fears.
