First few Article Sentences
A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that patients who received early palliative care had “significant improvements in both quality of life and mood compared to patients receiving standard care. These patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer also needed less aggressive care at the end of life and had a longer survival rate.” In short, greater patient satisfaction, reduced cost and longer survival … it’s a very potent combination!
Palliative medicine is an interdisciplinary practice that specializes in providing whole person care, with an emphasis on pain and symptom management, for patients with life limiting illnesses. This subspecialty, just recognized in 2006, utilizes a team of healthcare professionals, such as physicians, nurses, clinical pharmacists, social workers, spiritual counselors and bereavement counselors to address the needs of the patient.