Towards scalable hospital-based palliative care: Challenges and opportunities for hospitalists

There is growing evidence that supports the ability of specialty palliative care to achieve the Triple Aim in healthcare: (1) improve patient and family experience of care, (2) improve health outcomes, and (3) reduce healthcare costs. However, the full realization of this value remains elusive due, in large part, to the increasing demand for specialty palliative care services outpacing the supply of specialists. Because expansion of the specialty palliative care workforce will never be sufficient to meet the needs of seriously ill patients, and nonspecialist physicians often fail to recognize palliative care needs in a timely manner, innovative and systematic solutions are needed to provide high-quality palliative care in a manner that is sustainable.

National Palliative Care Research Center