Gaps in 'Real World' Practice of Palliative and Hospice Care

medscape
 

..."There are many people — both patients and providers, including oncologists — who erroneously believe that palliative care is end-of-life care," she told Medscape Medical News. "While palliative care is beneficial for patients at the end of life, it is recommended and appropriate for use for any patient with a serious illness, regardless of terminal status."
Palliative care and curative treatment can be provided concurrently, as is recommended by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Dr Gidwani said. "It's likely that patients' lack of awareness of palliative care and provider misconceptions about use of palliative care are both contributing to low use," she explained.....