A "CALL" for community-focused palliative care.

Providing interdisciplinary coordinated health and social services has a profound positive impact on patients and families facing life-threatening illness. CALL Care is a demonstration project designed to provide this type of care and bridge gaps in the existing palliative care system. The program seeks to provide care that is comprehensive, adaptable, life-affirming, and longitudinal. Hallmarks of the approach include identification and offer of assistance to those facing terminal illness as close to diagnosis as possible, periodic comprehensive assessments of the patient and family situation, coordination of health and social care services made possible by an active interdisciplinary team process with a single care coordinator, and links to community resources. This article describes the CALL Care experience, presents several case studies illustrative of the interventions and their impact, and provides recommendations for those seeking to make a similar commitment to integrated palliative care services.