Opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative care

Jonathan Bergman,1–3 Aaron A Laviana,1 1Department of Urology, 2Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 3Veterans Health Affairs-Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA Abstract: Palliative care involves aggressively addressing and treating psychosocial,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bergman J, Laviana AA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2016-05-01
Series:Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/opportunities-to-maximize-value-with-integrated-palliative-care-peer-reviewed-article-JMDH
_version_ 1818268983470587904
author Bergman J
Laviana AA
author_facet Bergman J
Laviana AA
author_sort Bergman J
collection DOAJ
description Jonathan Bergman,1–3 Aaron A Laviana,1 1Department of Urology, 2Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 3Veterans Health Affairs-Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA Abstract: Palliative care involves aggressively addressing and treating psychosocial, spiritual, religious, and family concerns, as well as considering the overall psychosocial structures supporting a patient. The concept of integrated palliative care removes the either/or decision a patient needs to make: they need not decide if they want either aggressive chemotherapy from their oncologist or symptom-guided palliative care but rather they can be comanaged by several clinicians, including a palliative care clinician, to maximize the benefit to them. One common misconception about palliative care, and supportive care in general, is that it amounts to “doing nothing” or “giving up” on aggressive treatments for patients. Rather, palliative care involves very aggressive care, targeted at patient symptoms, quality-of-life, psychosocial needs, family needs, and others. Integrating palliative care into the care plan for individuals with advanced diseases does not necessarily imply that a patient must forego other treatment options, including those aimed at a cure, prolonging of life, or palliation. Implementing interventions to understand patient preferences and to ensure those preferences are addressed, including preferences related to palliative and supportive care, is vital in improving the patient-centeredness and value of surgical care. Given our aging population and the disproportionate cost of end-of-life care, this holds great hope in bending the cost curve of health care spending, ensuring patient-centeredness, and improving quality and value of care. Level 1 evidence supports this model, and it has been achieved in several settings; the next necessary step is to disseminate such models more broadly. Keywords: palliative care, end of life, integrated, urology
first_indexed 2024-12-12T20:47:09Z
format Article
id doaj.art-caabdf4cbc964020ac7209dba095b8b4
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1178-2390
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T20:47:09Z
publishDate 2016-05-01
publisher Dove Medical Press
record_format Article
series Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
spelling doaj.art-caabdf4cbc964020ac7209dba095b8b42022-12-22T00:12:32ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare1178-23902016-05-012016Issue 121922626790Opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative careBergman JLaviana AAJonathan Bergman,1–3 Aaron A Laviana,1 1Department of Urology, 2Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 3Veterans Health Affairs-Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA Abstract: Palliative care involves aggressively addressing and treating psychosocial, spiritual, religious, and family concerns, as well as considering the overall psychosocial structures supporting a patient. The concept of integrated palliative care removes the either/or decision a patient needs to make: they need not decide if they want either aggressive chemotherapy from their oncologist or symptom-guided palliative care but rather they can be comanaged by several clinicians, including a palliative care clinician, to maximize the benefit to them. One common misconception about palliative care, and supportive care in general, is that it amounts to “doing nothing” or “giving up” on aggressive treatments for patients. Rather, palliative care involves very aggressive care, targeted at patient symptoms, quality-of-life, psychosocial needs, family needs, and others. Integrating palliative care into the care plan for individuals with advanced diseases does not necessarily imply that a patient must forego other treatment options, including those aimed at a cure, prolonging of life, or palliation. Implementing interventions to understand patient preferences and to ensure those preferences are addressed, including preferences related to palliative and supportive care, is vital in improving the patient-centeredness and value of surgical care. Given our aging population and the disproportionate cost of end-of-life care, this holds great hope in bending the cost curve of health care spending, ensuring patient-centeredness, and improving quality and value of care. Level 1 evidence supports this model, and it has been achieved in several settings; the next necessary step is to disseminate such models more broadly. Keywords: palliative care, end of life, integrated, urologyhttps://www.dovepress.com/opportunities-to-maximize-value-with-integrated-palliative-care-peer-reviewed-article-JMDHAdultAttitude of Health PersonnelEducational TechnologyMedical EducationPalliative CarePatient Care TeamQuality ImprovementQuality of Health CareTerminal Care
spellingShingle Bergman J
Laviana AA
Opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative care
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel
Educational Technology
Medical Education
Palliative Care
Patient Care Team
Quality Improvement
Quality of Health Care
Terminal Care
title Opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative care
title_full Opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative care
title_fullStr Opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative care
title_full_unstemmed Opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative care
title_short Opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative care
title_sort opportunities to maximize value with integrated palliative care
topic Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel
Educational Technology
Medical Education
Palliative Care
Patient Care Team
Quality Improvement
Quality of Health Care
Terminal Care
url https://www.dovepress.com/opportunities-to-maximize-value-with-integrated-palliative-care-peer-reviewed-article-JMDH
work_keys_str_mv AT bergmanj opportunitiestomaximizevaluewithintegratedpalliativecare
AT lavianaaa opportunitiestomaximizevaluewithintegratedpalliativecare