Why Call It Palliative Care?

“It’s not the term we use to describe our care, it’s the compassion with which it is delivered, that makes all the difference.”

People often ask whether we should rename palliative care as something else. Usually their suggestion is along the lines of supportive care. The arguments go along the lines of the “stigma” associated with the term palliative care (“It’s inpatient hospice,” “it’s just for the dying,” etc.).

I admit readily that patients and families don’t yet understand what the term “palliative care” means and even many physicians and other clinicians are confused about it. Not to mention that “palliation” in the oncology world means something very different than in the world where I work; to most oncologists, “palliation” is any therapy not designed to cure.

To me as an evangelist for supportive and palliative care, it is more about symptom management, coordination of care, communication, goals of care, and care of the whole person and family. So clearly there are problems with the term.

Why Not Call It All “Supportive Care?”

However, there would be problems with using only the term “supportive care” as well. When I was in medical school, “supportive care” was the term we used for someone who needed things like IV fluids, nutrition, and generally applied to life support. And I would be willing to bet that if we began using the term “supportive care,” it would not be long before it, too, would have the stigma of being only for the dying or just another form of hospice care.

My point is that we need to focus on educating both doctors and the public about what we do and not focus our energy on what we call it. The title has been around for several years now. Changing it would likely add more confusion than it would solve.

Like the quote at the beginning of this blog, the most important thing is how we deliver our care. Palliative care teams, supportive care teams, and hospice teams all deliver care with the greatest care and love.

What more do we need to know?

Last Updated: November 5, 2018

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About Author: Robert Sawicki, MD

Doctor Robert Sawicki photoDr. Robert Sawicki is the Vice President of Clinical Services for OSF Home Care and Post-Acute Services. He has led efforts to develop and improve care for patients with chronic illnesses and has a special interest in end-of-life care and hospice.

Dr. Sawicki received his medical degree from Rush University in Chicago, Illinois, and completed his residency in family medicine in Rockford. He practiced family medicine in Bloomington, Illinois, for 20 years before moving into leadership roles with OSF Home Care Services.

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Categories: Palliative Care & Hospice