Memorial Care Doctor Honored for Compassion, Developments in Palliative Care

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. - May 28, 2015 - PRLog -- For San Clemente resident Dr. Lowell Kleinman, being a doctor is much more than just treating patients – it’s about improving an individual’s quality of life. Through his work as a family physician with MemorialCare Health System and MemorialCare Medical Group (http://www.memorialcare.org/memorialcare-medical-group), Kleinman realized his passion for palliative medicine and controlling the often-devastating symptoms of a chronic illness. Kleinman advocates for the needs of patients dealing with longstanding chronic illnesses, as well as the painful final stages of a terminal disease.

Kleinman is the May/June recipient of Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/community/oliver-halsell-care-award). Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, with locations in Santa Ana (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/) and Mission Viejo (http://www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com/), created the recognition program in 2012 to pay tribute to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional care in their profession and community, improving the lives and spirits of those they help.

“Dr. Kleinman is an extraordinary leader in palliative medicine – an area that truly benefits patients struggling with their chronic disease,” said Marla Noel, president of Fairhaven. “Compassionate individuals, such as Dr. Kleinman, make all the difference when a patient needs comfort and relief from their pain.”

Kleinman begins a typical day treating patients – both adults and children – who have been diagnosed with various chronic illnesses. After devoting a full day at the office, he spends his afternoons visiting patients at Memorial Care Hospital whose physicians believed they could benefit from palliative care. Kleinman also led the development of two programs: the MemorialCare Medical Group Palliative Care Clinic (http://www.memorialcare.org/services/palliative-care), a program within his office created to help patients determine their goals of care and aid in the management of symptoms; and Saddleback Hospital’s Palliative Care Inpatient Program, a service provided to hospital patients. He also helped develop two palliative care in-home programs to treat patients unable to leave their homes.

"Palliative care has become a passion of mine – I hope to have even more focus in this important area in the future," said Kleinman. "People wonder why I don’t become depressed in my line of work, but I believe this is the purest form of medicine – helping people at a time when they need it most and giving them what they need to alleviate the severity of their symptoms."

In addition to his board certification as a family physician, Kleinman also received his board certification in hospice and palliative care. He also is a longtime member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Kleinman will be honored at Fairhaven's Oliver Halsell Care Awards banquet in November at Fairhaven's Mission Viejo location. The banquet honors a year's worth of achievements within the local community. Additionally, Fairhaven will make a donation on his behalf to his selected charity, Family Assistance Ministries (http://www.family-assistance.org/).

Fairhaven is accepting nominations for the 2015 Oliver Halsell Care Awards. For more information and to nominate a deserving candidate, visit: http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/community/oliver-halsell-care-award or email CareAwards@FairhavenMemorial.com.

About Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award

Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award pays tribute to Orange County individuals whose kindness and dedication to serving others is inspirational. These courageous individuals go above and beyond their job descriptions to serve with the utmost care and compassion. Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award winners come from many fields including private care, hospice, social work, counseling, assisted living, medical providers, nursing, therapy, volunteer work and more.

About Fairhaven

Founded in 1911 by Oliver Halsell to provide a peaceful and comforting place for families to honor their loved ones, Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary is Orange County’s most beautiful independently owned and operated full-service mortuary, crematory and cemetery. With the memorial park and mortuary in Central Orange County (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/) and an elegantly appointed mortuary in South Orange County (http://www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com/), Fairhaven provides funeral, cremation and burial services both at the time of need and through advanced planning, maintaining its steadfast commitment to care and compassion. Fairhaven is dedicated to celebrating the individual, providing services that are as unique and wide-ranging as the people they celebrate. Additional information is available at www.fairhavenmemorial.com. Connect with Fairhaven at www.facebook.com/fairhavenmemorial or www.twitter.com/fairhavenoc.