John W. Wax, MD

I have the privilege to accompany patients and their families during challenging times. I strive to help patients feel as well as they can during serious illness. That includes navigating symptom management tradeoffs and ensuring we focus on the outcomes that matter most to each patient.I'm grateful to collaborate with a skillful, accepting and passionate interdisciplinary palliative care team that includes chaplains and social workers.I believe patients should have opportunities to deeply explore their medical circumstances and how health care decisions impact their lives. I would like every patient to feel heard and understood, and when they tell us what is important to them, we should listen and act accordingly.A successful palliative care consultation often means finding a way to bring patients, primary teams, families/loved ones, specialists and other health care team members together.