25 Years: Looking Back, Looking Forward.

Palliative medicine and the practice of palliative care has disseminated around the world for the past 25 years. In many countries, palliative medicine is a formally recognized specialty of medicine. Yet, there is a high variability, due in part to the variable resources devoted to its development.

Symptom Control Research.

The need for symptom control research has never been greater. Yet, this is an underdeveloped area in hospice and palliative care. Expert symptom control researchers point out a number of issues that show the way forward over the next 25 years.

Incentives for Palliative Care.

The past 25 years have proved that palliative care is effective in improving care of seriously ill patients. Research attention must pivot to focus on policy changes and systems and models of care that ensure easy access to quality palliative care to all patients who need it. Education, alone, has not worked.

Mid-Career Training to Advance Palliative Care.

The demand for specialist palliative medicine physicians, advanced practice providers, and other team members outstrips supply. Traditional paths to specialty practice will not meet projected need. Therefore, innovation and research are required.

Evaluation of a Virtual Learning Collaborative to Integrate Palliative Care Into Routine Oncology Practice.

Purpose: The integration of palliative care into usual oncology care is a best practice, but implementation can be challenging.

Methods: We convened a virtual learning collaborative (VLC) of oncology practices with a focus on integrating palliative care. The entire program was virtual, with teams meeting via online Webinar and conference call and accessing content via an online portal.

Pain Management: Time to Minimize Variations in Practice.

There continue to be great variations in the management of pain in palliative care. Efforts need to be made within the field develop strategies to address this to avoid undue distress in patients.