Providing pediatric palliative care through a pediatric supportive care team

We expect children to live to adulthood; however, children do die. Some die from diseases they are born with, others from accidents or illnesses. The devastating effects associated with the death of a child can be lessened by providing palliative, hospice, and bereavement care. At St. John Hospital (SJH) in Detroit, MI, the services that provide care for children chartered the Pediatric Palliative Care Committee. The committee brought together staff from the inpatient pediatric unit, cancer center, home care, and hospice care services within the St. John Health System. Utilizing established staff and services, this group began to provide care for children with potentially life limiting illnesses in a coordinated, multidisciplinary team approach. The positive outcomes of this approach include an overall increase in patient and family satisfaction with care, a decrease in the number of emergency room visits and inpatient hospital stays, and an increase in patient and family informed decision making and goal setting. Positive outcomes for the staff include support in caring for children with life limiting illnesses and an increase in satisfaction with the care they provide.