McCarthy Leads Houston Hospice Pediatrics Care Team
HOUSTON (Sept. 30, 2024) – Dr. Amanda McCarthy recently joined Houston Hospice as the team physician for the pediatrics Butterfly Program, as well as an adult hospice team.
Board-certified in pediatrics, McCarthy completed fellowships in pediatric critical care at UTHealth Houston and hospice and palliative medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She also has a master’s degree in public health.
Pediatric hospice care is offered concurrently with a patient’s pediatrician, specialist and/or hospital team, which differs from adult hospice care, and is an integral part of the patient’s overall palliative care plan. McCarthy works in cooperation with the rest of the care team to ensure the hospice care plan is respected and a good death is achieved.
“Dr. McCarthy is uniquely qualified to help families navigate the complicated, and often nuanced, disease progression in pediatric hospice patients,” said Dr. Elizabeth Strauch, medical director and vice president of medical affairs. “She is a valuable addition to our team.”
McCarthy’s combination of skills allows her to care for patients and educate referring physicians on the intricacies of pediatric hospice care.
“Hospice bridges a gap between suffering and comfort,” said McCarthy. “I cannot change the outcome of a hospice patient’s journey, but I can walk through it with them and attend to their needs along the way.”
McCarthy trained in pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and graduated with a medical degree from Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey.
###
About Houston Hospice
Founded in 1980, Houston Hospice is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality, end-of-life care to patients and their families throughout 13 counties in Southeast Texas. We offer an interdisciplinary team-led approach that includes physicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers, hospice aides, bereavement counselors and volunteers. We provide the appropriate level of comfort care in a setting the patient calls home or in our freestanding inpatient unit. Our holistic view of hospice care is enhanced by the extensive knowledge and expertise of our staff, specialized educational opportunities and community outreach efforts. Houston Hospice is a member of the Texas Medical Center. For more information, visit: houstonhospice.org.