Developing successful models of cancer palliative care services.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes successful institutionally based programs for providing high-quality palliative care to persons with cancer and their family members. Challenges and opportunities for program development are also described.


METHODS
Published literature from 2000 to present describing concurrent oncology palliative care clinical trials, standards, and guidelines were reviewed.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical trials have shown feasibility and positive outcomes and formed the basis for consensus guidelines that support concurrent oncology palliative care models.


CONCLUSIONS
Oncology nurses should advocate for all patients with advanced cancer and their families to have access to concurrent oncology palliative care from the time of diagnosis with a life-limiting cancer.
Section of Palliative Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA. marie.a.bakitas@hitchcock.org
Marie
M
Bakitas
Margaret Firer
MF
Bishop
Paula
P
Caron
Lisa
L
Stephens
D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000592:standards*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D014481:United States