In addition to utilizing medications to relieve symptoms, palliative care services generally employ specially trained nurses, social workers, and chaplains to provide spiritual and psychosocial support for patients and families.

Given the increase in patients living longer with chronic progressive illness and the complexities of advance care planning and symptom management, palliative care can provide many benefits to patients and providers in the emergency department. For some emergency physicians, palliative care represents an opportunity to develop an additional skill set, scope of practice, and even subspecialty board certification. For many, it represents an opportunity to bring added insight and knowledge to the care of patients dealing with chronic symptoms and functional decline, and to those approaching the end of life. Perhaps for most, it is beneficial simply to know that palliative care exists, that patients and families can be offered palliative care services, and that consultants can assist in symptom management and in clarifying goals of care.

It is hoped that this will lead more emergency physicians to include “needs a palliative care consultation” in the patient’s list of diagnoses. If so, patients and their families, as well as emergency physicians in the midst of busy shifts, will benefit.

Dr. Bryant is a member of ACEP’s Ethics Committee and practices inpatient palliative care at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Denver.