Palliative Health Care Unit Analysis
Palliative care refers to specialized medical services to provide relief from the symptoms, pain, side effects and stress associated with serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Demand for palliative health services has grown dramatically in recent years and exceeds the available supply, particularly in rural markets. According to a 2010 report published by the Institute of Medicine, if palliative care teams were fully integrated into the healthcare system, total savings could exceed $6 billion per year. Using the palliative care program at a regional VA hospital as a use case, this analysis considers the role that technology can play to increase access, improve outcomes and lower cost for patients receiving palliative care services.
