Palliative Care in the Emergency Department.
Patients seek care in the emergency department (ED) for immediate relief of pain or other symptoms. Emergency physicians are trained to provide care that focuses on disease-directed treatment of acute illnesses; the ED is not considered an entry point for palliative care. Despite this, many patients with chronic or end-stage diseases seek treatment in the ED each year. Improving quality of life (QOL) is an overarching principle of palliative care. The ED is poised to improve patients' QOL by providing palliative interventions to manage pain and exacerbations of chronic illnesses or care near the end of life.
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Mailbox 112610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address: LMSolberg@ufl.edu.
Laurence M
LM
Solberg
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Mailbox 112610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
Jacobo
J
Hincapie-Echeverri
D002908:Chronic Disease; D016638:Critical Illness; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*
Delirium; Emergency department; Pain control; Palliative care; Quality of life