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Review
. 2020 May;104(3):359-373.
doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2020.01.001.

Hospice and Palliative Care: An Overview

Paul E Tatum  1 , Sarah S Mills  2
Affiliations
Review

Hospice and Palliative Care: An Overview

Paul E Tatum et al. Med Clin North Am. 2020 May.

Abstract

Palliative medicine is specialized medical care for people with serious illness. Serious illness is one with high risk of mortality that negatively affects quality of life or function or is burdensome in symptoms, treatments, or caregiver stress. Palliative care improves symptom management and addresses the needs of patients and families, resulting in improved patient and caregiver quality of life and reduced symptom burden and health care utilization. Hospice is palliative care for patients with a prognosis of 6 months or less and is appropriate when goals are to avoid hospitalization and maximize time at home for patients who are dying.

Keywords: End of life; Hospice; Interdisciplinary team; Palliative care; Serious illness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure Dr P.E. Tatum is a director at large of the board of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and he is a member of the Geriatrics and Palliative Care Standing Committee of the National Quality Forum.