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PALLIATIVE CARE
The secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient. — Francis Peabody, 1925
Multiple studies have demonstrated the
symptom burden and improving
patient and family satisfaction scores. Palliative care providers are able to reduce hospitalizations and other
costly treatments through enhanced communications with patients and families. When these conversations can occur in the patient’s home, in a relaxed environment, away from the chaos of the inpatient or emergency department setting, patient treatment decisions begin to focus on comfort and symptom control versus more costly hospital- related treatment. With that being
said, it is important to note the goal of palliative care is to “meet the patient where they are” and provide support, information, and guidance throughout their disease journey whether the patient chooses to continue curative treatment
for their serious illness or if the choice is comfort care.
Unfortunately, quality palliative care research has not been able to keep up suggests that palliative care referrals are occurring late in the patient disease process, which limits the opportunity for goals-of-care conversations prior
to emergent situations. Early palliative care referrals can limit out-of-control symptoms and caregiver burden, thus allowing patients and families to maintain overall control of their disease, limit the necessity for expensive hospital readmissions, and foster increased independence and functional ability.
It is up to all palliative providers to continue to document and investigate especially when added to a patient’s
“tool box” early on in their disease process, in an effort to continue the paradigm shift from hospital-based care to community-based care for those patients experiencing serious or end-of- life issues.
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR
■ LORETTA HIGGINS, MSN, ARNP is a Gerontologic Nurse Practitioner and the Lead Nurse Practitioner at Delaware Palliative, a program provided through Delaware Hospice, Inc.
REFERENCE
Meier D, Isaacs S, Hughes, R. eds. Palliative Care. Transforming the Care of Serious Illness. Princeton, NJ: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 2010.
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