When we're sick, we want to be home.

The same goes for the end of our lives — we want to be at home. Spartanburg Regional Hospice physician Hallie Pobanz, DO, works to keep patients in their homes.

“My goal is to keep people in their own home as much as possible,” Dr. Pobanz said. “That's where they are most comfortable.”

Dr. Pobanz recently moved to South Carolina from Ohio to join the hospice team and works with the homebound hospice patients. She became interested in hospice due to the group approach.

“A team cares for each patient: a doctor, nurse and chaplain work together for that care,” Dr. Pobanz said. “It is very patient-driven, looking at all aspects, from physical to emotional pain.”

Spartanburg Regional Hospice services have the option for patients to either stay in their own home or in the Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home. Spartanburg Regional provides hospice care when a cure is no longer a reasonable goal.

Dr. Pobanz knows transitioning a family member to hospice care is rarely easy, but tries to lessen the burden.

“I can't make the pain go away, but I can try to make it better for the family,” Dr. Pobanz said.

Because of the nature of hospice, there are many myths surrounding the care it provides. Dr. Pobanz works to dispel those with each of her patients.

“People think hospice is all about ending life,” she said. “It really is about living the rest of your life.”

For more information about Spartanburg Regional Hospice, call 864-560-3900.

About Dr. Pobanz

Dr. Pobanz received her medical degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Florida. She performed her residency at East Liverpool City Hospital and a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio.