Palliative Care
“Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.” The World Health Organization (WHO)
What is Palliative Care Brochure
Patient introduction brochure to introduce them to Palliative Care.
Palliative Care Lunch and Learn Presentation Slides 2024
Patient Identification and Assessment Tools
“Patient assessment is a critical step in identifying palliative care needs in patients with life-limiting illnesses including metastatic cancers, end stage organ failure, and advanced degenerative neurological conditions. Assessment should address prognosis, current and anticipated symptoms, distress, and the availability and support need of family and caregivers.” MICMT- “Introduction to Palliative Care”
The following categories of PALLIATIVE CARE ASSESSMENT TOOLS may be downloaded, reproduced, and utilized by physicians and office staff to assess the need for Palliative Care Interventions.
Physical/Performance Status Assessment Screens
- Edmonton_symptom_assessment_scale (ESAS)
- Assesses symptoms and complaints on a scale of 1 -10
- Assesses severity of symptoms over time
- Frailty Score
- Assesses physical status and indicators of frailty
- Karnofsky_performance_scale
- Classifies patients as to their functional impairment
- Addresses activities of daily living, selfcare and ability to work
- Memorial_symptom_assessment_scale
- Assesses recent (past week) frequency and severity of common symptoms/complaints such as fatigue, pain, nausea/vomiting etc
- Palliative_Performance_Scale1 (PPS v 2)
- Evaluates ambulation, activity level, selfcare, intake and consciousness level on a scale ranging from full ability to total bed bound status
Psychological/Emotional Symptoms Assessment Screens
- Generalized Anxiety Disorders – 7 Item Scale (GAD-7): GAD-7-anxiety-screen
- Assesses the presence of anxiety symptoms
- Patient Health Questionnaire:PHQ-9
- Assesses the presence of depression symptoms
Social Determinates of Health (SDOH) Assessment Screen
- SDOH Tool
- Identifies and assesses social situations impacting health such as living conditions, finances, transportation needs etc
Spiritual Distress Symptom Assessment Screen
- FICA Spiritual History Tool 32
- 4 questions to assess spiritual needs
Caregiver and Family Stress Assessment Screen
- Caregiver Strain Index
- Assess caregiver stress and need for intervention
