Athens Regional is pleased to announce that Lee Chisolm, M.D. will be joining the ARMC Palliative Care Program as Medical Director.  Dr. Chisolm is Board Certified with the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine. 

Dr. Chisolm will join Karen Williams, a Board Certified Advanced Hospice and Palliative Nurse Practitioner, and Melissa Dowd, NP, and Kim Green, RN to form the clinical staff of the Palliative Care team. The Athens Regional Chaplain Department and Social Work Department will join this clinical staff to make up the ARMC Palliative Care team. 

“We’re excited to have Dr. Chisolm join the very talented team of physicians and clinicians that comprise our Palliative Care Program. We believe, under Dr. Chisolm’s leadership, the program will continue to serve as a needed service for our patients, family members and physician community,” said Dr. James Moore, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Athens Regional Medical Center.

“Palliative Care is a Medical Specialty that focuses on decreasing suffering for patients with any complicated illness.  While traditionally many physicians have thought of Palliative Care as an ‘end of life service,’ the goal of ARMC’s Palliative Care Team is to add an extra layer of support towards treatment of physical symptoms, emotional suffering, spiritual suffering and difficult care coordination,” said Dr. Chisolm. 

Dr. Chisolm also said the program plans to place specific emphasis on patients who are at risk for multiple admissions as their disease progresses. “Our goal is to maximize our patients’ quality of life by alleviating the distress associated with complex illness through holistic, integrated care.”  

For physicians who wish to consult the Palliative Care Service, simply put in a consult for Palliative Care on Cerner or ask your charge nurse to contact the service for a consult.  If any physicians or staff have specific questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Chisolm directly at 706-208-1406.