What is Palliative Care? It is specialized medical care focusing on improving the care and quality of life for patients with advanced illness by decreasing suffering. It can be delivered concurrently with curative care. Early identification of patients who are likely to benefit is key. How do you decide whether your patient could benefit from a palliative care consult?

Hot off the presses

We just published in Academic Emergency Medicine a validated screening tool to identify ED patients who would benefit from palliative care [PubMed abstract].1 In an effort to accelerate knowledge dissemination, the checklist is reproduced here in PV card form. Be sure to check out the thoughtful expert peer review below by Dr. Kate Aberger, who is the chair of the ACEP Palliative Care Section.

PV Card: Palliative Care Screening Tool



Adapted from 1–3

Go to the ALiEM Cards site for more resources.

(c) Can Stock Photo

1. Acad Emerg Med. 2015;22(7):823-837. PubMed] George N, Barrett N, McPeake L, Goett R, Anderson K, Baird J. Content Validation of a Novel Screening Tool to Identify Emergency Department Patients With Significant Palliative Care Needs.. 2015;22(7):823-837. 2. Acad Emerg Med. 2010;17(11):1253-1257. PubMed] Grudzen C, Richardson L, Morrison M, Cho E, Morrison R. Palliative care needs of seriously ill, older adults presenting to the emergency department.. 2010;17(11):1253-1257. 3. J Palliat Med. 2013;16(11):1362-1367. PubMed] Wu F, Newman J, Lasher A, Brody A. Effects of initiating palliative care consultation in the emergency department on inpatient length of stay.. 2013;16(11):1362-1367.