Incentives for Palliative Care.

Abstract

The past 25 years have proved that palliative care is effective in improving care of seriously ill patients. Research attention must pivot to focus on policy changes and systems and models of care that ensure easy access to quality palliative care to all patients who need it. Education, alone, has not worked. Leaving it to individual organizations to decide has not worked. The question of whether incentives should be used has arisen. Should we design treatment algorithms, such as for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, where palliative care is part of standard care and requires an "opt out"? Should payers pay more to health care organizations who demonstrate they provide universal access to palliative care and how can we control for unintended consequences? Should provision of specialist palliative care be required for a health care organization to be accredited? How can we advance the state of the science and best support the workforce?