Early Specialty Palliative Care: Translating Data in Oncology into Practice

For most patients with serious illness, palliative care is provided only near the end of life. A new Sounding Board article reviews studies showing that earlier palliative care can improve quality of life and reduce health care costs and argue that such care should be standard in serious illness.

The article is free to all visitors on NEJM.org:

 The New England Journal of Medicine

Reference:

Ravi B. Parikh, A.B., Rebecca A. Kirch, J.D., Thomas J. Smith, M.D., and Jennifer S. Temel, M.D. N Engl J Med 2013; 369:2347-2351 December 12, 2013 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsb1305469