Palliative Physician in Bangalore

Dr. Amelia Sahana Michael

Palliative Physician

MBBS, MSc in Palliative Medicine
Languages
English, Hindi, Kannada
Overview

Dr. Amelia Sahana Michael is a passionate, dedicated Palliative Physician, with a special interest in Paediatric Palliative care, working as a Senior Specialist at the best multi-speciality hospital in Bangalore - Aster CMI Hospital. She is one among the Best Pediatric Palliative Care Specialist in Bangalore, committed to providing international standards of medical care.

She completed her MBBS from Christian Medical College, Vellore in 1997, following which she worked in pediatrics in India and the United Kingdom. She developed a keen interest in Palliative Medicine during her training in pediatric and neonatology. After relocating to India in 2012, she pursued her career in Palliative Medicine. She has obtained the MSc degree in Palliative Medicine from Cardiff University, United Kingdom.

Work Experience:

Dr. Amelia had started her career in Paediatrics in Bangalore Baptist Hospital. She continued her career in pediatrics and neonatology in the United Kingdom, working in busy pediatric units.

She joined the Department of Pain and Palliation in HCG Hospital, Bangalore in 2014. Through her tenure in HCG, she had cared for patients in different phases of cancer. She had cared for patients with Palliative care emergencies, managing disabling, distressing symptoms associated with chemotherapy/radiation therapy/progressive disease/end of life, in an inter-disciplinary approach with the oncologists. She worked under the guidance of Dr. Raghavendra Ramanjulu and Dr. Naveen Salins at HCG hospital. She was promoted as an Associate Consultant while at HCG and worked as a clinician and educator. She is proficient in handling challenging situations and difficult communications in early cancer, advanced care, and end of life while looking after outpatients, inpatients, and patients at home.

In 2016, she moved to Karunashraya, the only Hospice in Bangalore, to expand her knowledge and expertise in Palliative Medicine. She worked under Dr. Nagesh Simha and Dr. Jeremy Johnson, who are pioneers in the field of Palliative Medicine. She has cared for patients in a resource-poor setting, managed patients at home through the home care program, has been an active educator for the training programs held at Karunashraya for Doctors and Nurses in India and Bangladesh. She has been an active part of the End of Life Care Pathway program at Karunashraya.

In 2017, she moved to Cytecare Cancer Hospitals, to continue her work in Palliative Medicine. She had been an active member of the Comprehensive Oncology team, looking after patients in the hospital and at home. She completed a Thesis on ‘Bereavement Care’, the first study of its kind in India, and went on to put the knowledge into practice, by being instrumental along with Dr. Raghavendra Ramanjulu, to start the “Samarpan” and “Samrakshan” programs at Cytecare Cancer Hospital, to provide support to caregivers of patients suffering with or who have passed on from cancer. She has also been a part of the team to initiate “Debriefing sessions for staff on the ward”, a unique service in India. She is skilled in difficult communication situations, such as breaking bad news, advanced communication of disease, and collusion. As an Associate Consultant, she was actively involved in planning and setting up the advanced communication protocol. She has taken care of children suffering from cancer from symptom management to end of life care, working closely with the Paediatric Oncologist at Cytecare Hospital.

Dr. Amelia has joined Aster CMI in December 2020.

Area of expertise
  • Palliative Medicine
  • Care of patients on disease modifying treatment for cancer
  • Care of patients with advanced cancer
  • Care of patients at the end of life
  • Skilled in difficult communication situations such as breaking bad news, collusion and advanced communication
  • Care of patients being looked after cared for at home
  • Care of children with cancer in all stages of illness
  • Bereavement support
  • Family meetings
     

Recognitions:

  • Trained and Certified for Education in Palliative and End-of –Life care trainer’s program (USA)
  • Trainer for Certificate course in Palliative care by Indian association of Palliative Care
  • Certified as a trainer in Essentials in Pain Medicine
  • Tutor in Essentials in palliative medicine - paediatrics/ adult
  • Member of the Indian Association of Palliative care
  • Member of the Bangalore Palliative Special Interest Group
  • Team member involved in the formulation of guidelines for End of Life Care, Ayushman Bharath
     

Papers Published:

  • Krishna M, Pillalamarri S, Srinivasan S, Michael A, Ramanjulu R. A model to provide supportive and care continuity for Palliative care Patients at home. Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 2020 Apr; 26(2): 238.
     

Conference Presentations:

  • Clinical Insight: Scalene Syndrome and its relevance in post-mastectomy pain. Raghavendra Ramanjulu, Amelia Sahana Michael. Presented in February 2015 in the Indian Association of Palliative Care Conference, Hyderabad, India, and at ECAP Mumbai in July 2015
  • Psoas Muscle Intervention – A Case report: Importance and relevance in Abdominal Tumours. Raghavendra Ramanjulu, Amelia Sahana Michael. Presented in February 2015 in the Indian Association of Palliative Care Conference, Hyderabad, India, and at ECAP July 2015
  • Acute Pain Model Using Patient Controlled Analgesia Translated Into Palliative Care Pain Management. Amelia Sahana Michael, Raghavendra Ramanjulu. Presented in February 2015 in the Indian Association of Palliative Care Conference, Hyderabad, India
  • Exploring the perspectives of bereaved family members about hospital-based bereavement support in a tertiary cancer center. Amelia Michael, Raghavendra Ramanjulu, Lohithashva, and Geeta. Presented in February 2018 in the Indian Association of Palliative Care Conference, New Delhi 2018
  • Interdisciplinary palliative Intervention for a family caregiver of dying patient: Does it matter? Amelia Sahana Michael, Raghavendra Ramanjulu. Presented in February 2019 in the Indian Association of Palliative Care Conference, Kochi
  • Preference of adult family members on hospital-based bereavement support in a tertiary cancer center. Oral Presentation at the Indian Association of Palliative Care Conference February 2020, Gauwahati
     

Conferences Attended:

  • 22nd International Conference of Indian Association of Palliative Care. February 13-15, 2015. Hyderabad, India.
  • ECAP, July 11-12, 2015, Mumbai.
  • 23rd International Conference of Indian Association of Palliative Care. February 13-15, 2016, Pune, India.
  • 24th International Conference of Indian Association of Palliative Care. February 10-12 2017, Coimbatore, India.
  • 25th International Conference of Indian Association of Palliative Care. February 23-25, 2018, New Delhi, India.
  • CANCON – Consensus Guidelines for improving outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer, June 2018, Bangalore.
  • Best of MASCC Conference. September 1-2, 2018, Mumbai.
  • 26th International Conference of Indian Association of Palliative Care, February 2019, Kochi.
  • CANCON – Consensus Guidelines for management of Oral cancer, July 2019, Bangalore - was a faculty for this Conference.
  • 27th International Conference of Indian Association of Palliative Care. February 23-25, 2020, Guwahati.
  • Get in touch with the Best Pediatric Palliative Care Centre in Bangalore - Aster CMI Hospital.