Assuring the provision of palliative care as an ethical duty for all physicians

Assuring the provision of palliative care as an ethical duty for all physicians
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Amber R Comer,Daniel Sulmasy; 4/25
Although palliative care is an evidence-based, essential component of care for patients with serious or critical illness and at the end-of-life, access to palliative care continues to be limited by inaccurate definitions, misrepresentation, stigma, and neglect. To help physicians and patients to overcome barriers limiting the provision of palliative care, the American Medical Association (AMA) has recently adopted policy and a new opinion in the Code of Medical Ethics which establishes an ethical duty for all physicians, in all specialties, to assure the provision of palliative care to patients who stand to benefit. Additionally, the new policy and Code opinion expand the depth and breadth of what palliative care access and delivery entail and address misconceptions that have resulted in barriers to the delivery of palliative care.