A legislatively mandated council: a model for palliative care policy integration

Area of Science:

• Public Health Policy
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Effective mechanisms are crucial for policy discussions on end-of-life care.
• State-level variations in healthcare necessitate tailored policy approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the rationale, operations, successes, and challenges of the Maryland State Advisory Council on Quality Care at the End of Life (MSAC).
• To evaluate the MSAC's effectiveness as a catalyst for end-of-life policy reform.

Main Methods:

• Legislative creation of a permanent state government body.
• Operational analysis and review of an eight-year body of work.
• Case study of policy development in end-of-life care.

Main Results:

• The MSAC has been an effective catalyst for positive change in end-of-life policy making over eight years.
• The council has successfully fostered discussion and identified areas of agreement and disagreement in policy choices.
• The MSAC's successes and challenges offer insights for other states.

Conclusions:

• The MSAC model demonstrates potential for effective end-of-life policy reform.
• While not a universal model, the MSAC's approach warrants consideration by policymakers in other states.
• Further adaptation may be needed for optimal results in different state contexts.