What is palliative medicine? motivations and skills.
Palliative care began in the UK hospice movement in the late 1960s and has rapidly developed in many countries since. In some, it has become a fully recognized specialty with comprehensive training programs and recognized expertise in areas such as pain and symptom control. It is important to examine the formative influences and characteristic clinical expertise in palliative medicine. This article considers some of the conceptual, practical, and administrative challenges that have been faced in an effort to establish palliative medicine as a discrete field of specialized practice from a US perspective. We also comment on current issues in regard to education and research, and development of comprehensive palliative care programs in the United States.
Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Department of Solid Tumor Oncology, Cleveland, OH, USA. walsht@ccf.org
Declan
D
Walsh
Aynur
A
Aktas
Barbara
B
Hullihen
Raghava R
RR
Induru
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017145:Models, Educational; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D013038:Specialization; D014481:United States