Journal of palliative medicine
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In the United States, the majority of deaths occur in the hospital but the dying process there is at best unsatisfactory and more likely inadequate for both patients and caregivers. The development of hospital-based palliative care programs (HBPCPs) can vastly improve inpatient end-of-life care. This study is the first to examine the prevalence and characteristics of HBPCPs in the United States, thus providing a snapshot of the characteristics of these HBPCPs. ⋯ They tend to be based in oncology, general medicine, and geriatrics. We also assessed reasons for consultation, patient characteristics, and future development needs. These findings can help guide future funding, educational, and programming efforts in hospital-based palliative care.
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At Children's Hospital of Wisconsin there is a pediatric palliative care consultation service that serves a diverse patient population, including infants. However, the value of a palliative care consultation for infants has not been well evaluated. We performed a retrospective, case series, descriptive chart review of infants in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) who received palliative care consults between January 1996 and June 1998. ⋯ Recommendations that the palliative care staff made fell into four categories: advance directive planning, the optimal environment for supporting neonatal death, comfort and medical care, and psychosocial support. This series is a description of what a palliative care service can offer for terminally ill infants in an NICU. We speculate that such consults can more consistently and comprehensively provide appropriate end-of-life care for these patients and their families.
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The American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (ABHPM) was formed in 1995 to establish and implement standards for certification of physicians practicing hospice and palliative medicine and, ultimately, accreditation of physician training in this discipline. The ABHPM has created a certification process that parallels other member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). After 3(1/2) years and the administration of seven examinations, 623 physicians have achieved board certification in hospice and palliative medicine. ⋯ There is significant physician interest in seeking professional recognition of expertise in caring for terminally ill persons and their families through creation of a specialty in hospice and palliative medicine. Certification of physicians and accreditation of training programs are key elements in this process. This process will encourage more physicians to enter this field and provide needed expertise in the management of patients with progressive disease for whom the prognosis is limited, and the focus of care is quality of life.