A Model of Palliative Care for Heart Failure
Document Type
Review
Publication Date
10-1-2009
Description
The heart failure illness trajectory is both complex and unpredictable, which makes providing palliative care services to patients with heart failure a challenge. As a result, although services are needed, few tend to be offered beyond basic medical management. The traditional model of palliative care is typically based on palliative care being considered a system of care delivery most appropriate for patients with a predictable illness/death trajectory, such as terminal cancer. This type of model, which is based on the ability to predict the course of a terminal disease, does not fit the heart failure trajectory. In this article, we propose a new model of palliative care that conceptualizes palliative care as a philosophy of care that encompasses the unpredictable nature of heart failure.
Citation Information
Hupcey, Judith E.; Penrod, Janice; and Fenstermacher, Kimberly. 2009. A Model of Palliative Care for Heart Failure. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Vol.26(5). 399-404. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909109333935 PMID: 19357374 ISSN: 1049-9091