Development of a pediatric palliative care team

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Palliative Care
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Clinical recommendations for pediatric palliative care exist from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• There is a need to outline practical implementation steps for such programs within healthcare facilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the process of establishing a pediatric palliative care program at a Midwest pediatric magnet facility.
• To detail the formation and function of a Pediatric Advanced Comfort Care Team.

Main Methods:

• Gaining administrative support and securing grant funding for program development.
• Assembling a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals from various specialties.
• Establishing collaborative relationships among team members and with other healthcare providers.

Main Results:

• A Pediatric Advanced Comfort Care Team was successfully developed and implemented.
• The team provides services from the point of diagnosis.
• Services are individualized based on the expressed needs of children and their families.

Conclusions:

• Successful implementation of a pediatric palliative care program requires administrative backing and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• A dedicated team can provide essential, individualized palliative care to children and families from diagnosis.
• This model demonstrates a feasible approach to integrating advanced comfort care in a pediatric setting.