Complex, chronic, and end-of-life care: the interface between critical care and palliative care

Palliative care is a medical subspecialty devoted to palliating symptoms and spending time communicating with patients from the onset of chronic illness through the end of life. Time is one of the gifts a palliative care team gives a patient and family. Ironically, adding time to care may help to decrease critical care costs and mortality. Although palliative care lacks specific funding and national recognition, inpatient, outpatient, hospice, and home palliative programs are emerging to provide coverage across the continuum.