HUS Palliative Care Center is responsible for demanding special-level palliative care for the Southern Finland collaborative area, and for special-level palliative care for patients receiving treatment at HUS.
HUS Palliative Care Center provides care and support both in the early stages of illness, including alongside treatments for cancer or ALS (early palliative care) and as the illness progresses and the patient moves to palliative care (palliative treatment intent).
The activities of HUS Palliative Care Center include research, teaching, training, and development of palliative care both locally and nationally.
HUS Palliative Care Center is a full-time referral clinic open on weekdays. The clinic receives about 2,000 patients per year. Patients from anywhere in Southern Finland can be referred to the outpatient clinic by a doctor.
The patient is provided care by a multiprofessional team of experts. The team includes physicians and registered nurses with expertise in palliative care, as well as professional with various specialties, such as social work; psychosocial, existential, and spiritual support; nutrition; and rehabilitation, according to the needs of the patient and their family. The outpatient clinic is suitable for patients whose condition allows for attending appointments.
The care provided includes
evaluating the individual needs for support of the patient and their family
making an individualised palliative care plan based on the patient’s needs in collaboration with the patient
providing symptomatic treatment and follow-up
providing support and guidance for maintaining functional capacity and quality of life
psychosocial talk support
planning palliative follow-up care with the provider responsible for care in the patient’s area of residence (the regional pages of the service providers in "Services").
All services provided by HUS specialised healthcare are available to the HUS Palliative Care Center. The Center operates in close collaboration with the HUS Comprehensive Cancer Center to provide oncological symptom management (including palliative radiation therapy), and with the Pain Clinic to provide demanding pain management (including epidural analgesia). According to the patient’s individual needs, the treatment team coordinates any necessary palliative procedures with the appropriate specialties (such as placement of drainage catheters and stents or palliative surgical procedures).
The palliative consultation team consists of doctors and registered nurses, and provides services to the Meilahti outpatient clinics, HUS Haartman Hospital, and wards in the Malmi Hospitals. The palliative consultation team provides inpatient wards with support in palliative care and hospice care. While the patient is receiving inpatient care, the doctors and nurses visit the patient and their loved ones in the ward. If necessary, the patient is referred to the palliative outpatient clinic for follow-up care.
The Psychosocial Support Unit operates within the Palliative Care Center. The personnel includes psychologists and a psychiatrist. The purpose of psychosocial support is to support the patient and the family and to relieve the mental burden caused by the illness. The support offered may be tak support, either one-on-one or including the family; online therapy; or support in a group setting.
Special consideration is given to families with minors. The aim is to support parents in their role when facing a serious illness and to provide the family with access to any necessary support services.
The Comprehensive Cancer Center inpatient ward provides short-term palliative inpatient care to cancer patients.
HUS has procured hospice beds from Terhokoti hospice. These are for patients requiring demanding special-level hospice care, such as patients with families, young patients or those with ALS.
Updated 9.11.2025
