Palliative Care

What we do

Our Mission

To support patients and their families by palliating physical, psychological, social, and spiritual suffering
combining the expertise of an interdisciplinary care team with a spirit of love and compassion.

About the Department

Established in February 2007, the Department of Palliative Care is dedicated to elevating the quality of palliative care for patients facing advanced cancer and other incurable, progressive illnesses. Led by specialized attending physicians and rotating resident physicians, our department primarily provides inpatient consultation services.

Palliative care consultations are available to any inpatient experiencing severe pain or distress. Consultations can be requested directly by the patient, their family, or initiated by the primary attending physician or ward nurse.

Core Roles & Objectives

1. Delivering Best-Possible Total Care: Providing comprehensive palliative management for patients diagnosed with advanced cancer or progressive illnesses facing severe pain or distress
2. Multidisciplinary Symptom Management: Addressing physical pain and distress alongside psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions through a holistic care approach
3. Hospital-Wide Staff Education: Training healthcare professionals across Kameda Medical Center so that high-quality palliative care can be integrated into everyday patient care hospital-wide
4. Empowering Patients & Families: Guiding terminally ill patients and their loved ones on end-of-life preparation, helping create meaningful, comfortable final moments.
5. Fostering Palliative Specialists: Training future leaders in palliative medicine through our specialized 2-year Palliative Care Fellowship Program.

The Interdisciplinary Kameda PCT Team

The Kameda Palliative Care Team (PCT) comprises approximately 25 interdisciplinary team members, including physicians, certified nurses, pharmacists, social workers, psychotherapists, physical and occupational therapists, dietitians, chaplains, and volunteers.

Our Core PCT Members (who dedicate >50% of their clinical duties to PCT activities) include:

3 Specialized Palliative Care Physicians
1 Certified Palliative Care Nurse
1 Hospital Chaplain
2 Occupational Therapists
1 Clinical Pharmacist

Conditions we handle

Indications for PCT Consultation

You or your healthcare provider may request a Palliative Care Consultation for any of the following indications:

1. Refractory Pain & Complex Symptoms: Severe pain or uncontrolled physical symptoms caused by advanced cancer or progressive illnesses.
2. Advanced Analgesic Management: Pain control utilizing Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) pump systems.
3. Psychological & Existential Counseling: Support for mental distress, anxiety, depression, or existential/spiritual questions.
4. Pharmacotherapy Counseling: Professional guidance on complex palliative medications and prescriptions.
5. Discharge Planning & Social Support: Guidance on transition of care, home care setup, and financial resources.
6. Nutritional & Dietetic Counseling: Expert advice regarding dietary intake, appetite loss, and clinical nutrition.
7. Physical Functionality & Mobility: Interventions to preserve mobility, comfort, and functional independence.
8. Complementary & Alternative Medicine: Counseling on safe, evidence-aligned integrative approaches.
9. Advance Care Planning (ACP): Guidance and facilitation through difficult end-of-life decision-making.

How to Request a Consultation & Post-Discharge Care:

If you are unsure whether palliative care is right for you, please speak with your primary physician or ward nurse. To ensure continuum of care after discharge, follow-up appointments are available at the Outpatient Office of the Department of Palliative Care at Kameda Medical Center.

Number of cases

Census of Kameda PCT inpatient consultation referrals
303 cases/year. (2011)

Operation results

None

List of Doctors

Director, Pain Management & Palliative Care Department / Staff Physician, Home Care Medicine Department / Director, Regional Healthcare Collaboration Office

Koichi KURAMOTO

Subspeciality
Palliative Care

Department name	Palliative Care
Medical School	Kitasato University School of Medicine
Special Qualifications	• Board-Certified General Internal Medicine Specialist, Japan Society of Internal Medicine • Certified Primary Care Physician, Japan Primary Care Association • Certified Instructor, Japan Primary Care Association • Completed Cancer Rehabilitation Training Program • Board-Certified Palliative Care Physician, Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine
Education & Career	March 2003 – Graduated from Kitasato University School of Medicine May 2003 – Junior Resident, Yokosuka Municipal Uwamachi Hospital April 2005 – Senior Resident, Tokyo Kita Social Insurance Hospital May 2006 – Senior Resident, Department of Gastroenterology, Asahi General Hospital April 2009 – Chief Staff Physician, Palliative Care Department, Asahi General Hospital April 2010 – Fellow, Palliative Care Department, Kameda Medical Center April 2012 – Staff Physician (Assistant Director & Coordinator), Pain Management & Palliative Care Department April 2012 – Staff Physician (Program Coordinator & Fellowship Program Coordinator), Home Healthcare Department April 2016 – Chief Physician, Pain Management & Palliative Care Department; Staff Physician, Home Healthcare Department May 2016 – Chief Physician, Pain Management & Palliative Care Department; Staff Physician, Home Healthcare Department; Regional Healthcare Collaboration Office October 2017 – Chief Physician, Pain Management & Palliative Care Department; Staff Physician, Home Healthcare Department; Director, Regional Healthcare Collaboration Office April 2023 – Deputy Director, Pain Management & Palliative Care Department; Staff Physician, Home Care Medicine Department; Director, Regional Healthcare Collaboration Office April 2026 – Director, Pain Management & Palliative Care Department; Staff Physician, Home Care Medicine Department; Director, Regional Healthcare Collaboration Office

Part-time Physician

Kenichiro EGAWA

Subspeciality
Palliative care, home care medicine, Kampo (traditional Japanese medicine)

Department name	Palliative Care
Medical School	Miyazaki University School of Medicine
Special Qualifications	Board-Certified Internist, Japanese Society of Internal Medicine Board-Certified Palliative Medicine Specialist, Japan Society of Palliative Medicine Completed Cancer Rehabilitation Training Program (Chiba Prefecture) Completed TNT Course, Japan Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Completed Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Approved Online Medical Care Training
Education & Career	March 2010 – Graduated from Miyazaki University School of Medicine April 2010 – Junior Resident, Yokosuka Municipal Uwamachi Hospital April 2012 – Internal Medicine Residency, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Hospital April 2014 – Joined Kameda Medical Center, Department of Pain and Palliative Care (Senior Residency) April 2016 – Staff Physician, Department of Pain and Palliative Care April 2018 – Part-time Physician, Department of Pain and Palliative Care

Shoko AOKI

Department name	Palliative Care
Medical School	University of Tsukuba School of Medicine
Education & Career	March 2020 – Graduated from Yamagata University School of Medicine April 2020 – Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital April 2022 – Joined Kameda Medical Center, Department of Medical Oncology as an Internal Medicine Resident April 2025 – Senior Residency, Medical Oncology April 2026 – Joined Department of Pain and Palliative Care, Kameda Medical Center