ST. LOUIS – Kyle Moylan, M.D., FACP, of Esse Health Physicians at St. Clare recently earned his Board Certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). Dr. Moylan is already board-certified in internal medicine and geriatric medicine.

Board certification in palliative medicine recognizes the qualifications of physicians specializing in palliative medicine. Palliative care doctors provide care and support as patients and their loved ones face the many challenges of living with a serious illness. Palliative care concentrates on preventing and alleviating suffering and improving patients’ quality of life by:

  • Prescribing treatments to control pain and other uncomfortable symptoms.
  • Assisting with difficult medical decisions, helping to weigh the pros and cons of various treatments.
  • Coordinating care with other doctors and helping to navigate the often-confusing health care system.
  • Helping patients and their loved ones find emotional and spiritual support.

Hospice is a specific palliative care program for patients who have only months left to live, but palliative care includes much more. A palliative care approach can be started at any time during a serious illness, even while patients are still trying to be cured. Many times this can be done by a primary care doctor, but in difficult situations help from a palliative care expert can be worthwhile.

“There are few physicians in the South County and Fenton area who have earned his or her board certification in hospice and palliative medicine,” said Michael Fedak, M.D., head of Esse Health’s internal medicine department. “Palliative care is a unique specialty, one that takes into consideration all aspects of the patient’s emotional, physical, and spiritual needs and goals. We are pleased that Dr. Moylan can offer our patients his expertise and knowledge in what can be a scary time for patients and their families.”

Dr. Moylan joined Esse Health in the summer of 2012 and is accepting new patients at Esse Health Physicians at St. Clare, located in the St. Francis Medical Office Building at SSM St. Clare Health Center in Fenton, Mo. Appointments can be made by calling 314-467-1500. A St. Louis native, Moylan previously served as Associate Program Director of the internal medicine residency program at the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he also served as the Program Director for the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program.

Esse Health is a St. Louis-based, independent physician group that strives to improve the overall well-being of its patients through patient education, lifestyle modification, and prevention. With 34 locations throughout the St. Louis and Metro East area, Esse Health’s services include asthma, allergy and immunology, family medicine, internal medicine, nutrition, pediatrics, radiology, urology, and cardiology. Esse Health is recognized as a leader in using technology in health care and physician accountability for both quality and cost-of-care. For more information on Esse Health, visit www.essehealth.com.

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 Editor’s Note:    Esse Health Physicians at St. Clare is located at SSM St. Clare Health Center, 1011 Bowles Ave., Suite 450 in Fenton, Mo. 63026.