Palliative Home Care
Free, home-based palliative care for patients with life-limiting illnesses across Chennai — delivered with compassion, dignity, and medical excellence.
Palliative Home Care
Free, home-based palliative care for patients with life-limiting illnesses across Chennai — delivered with compassion, dignity, and medical excellence.
What is Palliative Home Care
Palliative home care is the cornerstone of QMCH's mission. Through this program, we deliver medical, nursing, and emotional support to patients suffering from life-limiting illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and kidney disease — all in the comfort of their own homes.
Rather than requiring patients to travel to hospitals or clinics, our trained team of doctors, nurses, and caregivers comes to them. This approach ensures that patients remain in the warmth and familiarity of their surroundings, close to their loved ones, while receiving professional medical attention that prioritizes comfort, pain relief, and quality of life.
Who We Serve
QMCH's palliative care program serves patients who can no longer travel to hospitals due to their medical condition. During the reporting period (2022-2025), 907 palliative care patients were registered under QMCH's care.
Our patients include those facing:
Conditions We Treat
- Terminal illnesses such as cancer
- Chronic heart disease
- Advanced lung disease
- End-stage kidney disease
- Other life-limiting conditions
Each patient receives a personalized care plan that combines medical monitoring, nursing interventions, medicine supply, and counseling — all coordinated through systematic home visits.
Our Reach & Impact
Operating across 31 clusters in 37 areas of Greater Chennai, QMCH's palliative care team conducted 28,800 home visits during the three-year period from 2022 to 2025.
These visits are carried out through four fully equipped home-care vehicles, each staffed by trained professionals who bring medical expertise and compassionate care directly to patients' doorsteps.
Medical Services We Provide
QMCH's palliative care program includes a comprehensive range of medical and nursing services delivered at the patient's home:
Pain Management
- 5,642 pain medicines distributed
- 12,033 general medicines
- Regular monitoring & adjustment
Medical Procedures
- Catheterization (501 procedures)
- Wound care (628 procedures)
- Oral care (324 procedures)
- Colostomy care (255 procedures)
- Bladder wash (181 procedures)
- Ryles tube insertion (97)
Additional Care
- IV fluids (156 administrations)
- Nebulization (58 sessions)
- Blood sugar monitoring (1,300)
- Tracheostomy care (34)
- Dialysis support (356 treatments)
Spiritual & Psychosocial Support: Beyond medical care, QMCH provided 828 spiritual support sessions and psychosocial care interventions, along with emotional counseling for patients and families throughout their care journey.
Medical Equipment & Supplies
In addition to direct medical care, QMCH provides essential medical equipment and supplies to ensure patient comfort and safety at home — all completely free of cost:
How Palliative Care Works
Patient Identification
Patients are identified through community referrals, medical camps, volunteer networks, and partner organizations across Chennai.
Initial Assessment
A qualified QMCH medical professional conducts a home assessment to understand the patient's clinical, emotional, and social needs.
Personalized Care Plan
A care plan is created combining palliative care, medicine supply, equipment provision, and emotional support tailored to each patient's condition.
Regular Home Visits
Our team of doctors, nurses, and caregivers conduct scheduled home visits — delivering clinical care, emotional support, and companionship.
Ongoing Support
Medicines, medical equipment, and consumables are provided on an ongoing basis. Families receive counseling and guidance throughout the care journey.
Our Team
QMCH's palliative care program is delivered by a 22-member core clinical team that includes a palliative care physician, trained nurses, and medical support staff.
Supported by over 100 trained community volunteers, this team serves 60 to 70 patients every day across Greater Chennai, ensuring that no patient faces terminal illness without professional care, pain relief, or the simple comfort of knowing someone cares.
Why Home-Based Care Matters
When a patient is bedridden and their family has exhausted every resource, home-based palliative care becomes their lifeline. It ensures that patients remain in familiar surroundings with loved ones nearby, families are relieved of the burden of transporting critically ill patients, professional medical care is accessible regardless of financial circumstances, and dignity, comfort, and emotional support are provided alongside clinical treatment.
Support Home-Based Palliative Care
Every donation helps us reach more patients, deliver more medicines, and bring comfort to more families facing life-limiting illnesses. Your support ensures that no one in Chennai faces terminal illness alone.