• R Sean Morrison and Diane E Meier.
• Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. sean.morrison@mssm.edu
• J. Pediatr. Hematol. Oncol. 2011 Oct 1;33 Suppl 2:S126-31.

AbstractThe elimination of suffering and the cure of disease are the fundamental goals of medicine. While medical advances have transformed previously fatal conditions such as cancer and heart disease into illnesses that people can live with for many years, they have not been accompanied by corresponding improvements in the quality of life for these patients and their families. Living with a serious illness should not mean living in pain or experiencing symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, or fatigue. Yet, multiple studies over the past decade suggest that medical care for patients with advanced illness is characterized by inadequately treated physical distress; fragmented care systems; poor communication between doctors, patients, and families; and enormous strains on family caregiver and support systems. Palliative care is interdisciplinary care focused on relief of pain and other symptoms and support for best possible quality of life for patients with serious illness, and their families. It is appropriate at the point of diagnosis of a serious illness. It goes beyond hospice care to offer patients and their families treatments focused on improving quality of life while they are receiving life-prolonging and curative treatments. Palliative care programs have been shown to reduce symptoms, improve doctor-patient-family communication and satisfaction with care, as well as enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of hospital services. In the last 5 years alone the number of palliative care programs has more than doubled. This growth is in response to the increasing numbers and needs of Americans living with serious, complex and chronic illnesses, and the realities of the care responsibilities faced by their families. In order to ensure that all persons with serious illness and their families receive the quality of care they deserve, palliative care must become an integral part of the U.S. healthcare landscape. Specifically, persons facing serious illness and their families must know to request palliative care, medical professionals must have the knowledge and skills to provide palliative care, and hospitals and other healthcare institutions must be equipped to deliver and support palliative care services. The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) and the National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC) are accomplishing this three-part mission by working in partnership to: 1) Develop research to serve as the knowledge base for quality clinical care and the foundation on which to build palliative care programs and systems; 2) Disseminate this knowledge to patients, families, professionals, and institutions throughout the United States and ensure that it is integrated within mainstream healthcare; and 3) Influence and collaborate with policy makers , regulatory bodies, and federal funding agencies to ensure that the healthcare infrastructure supports the continued growth and development of palliative care.

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