Assessment of palliative care needs.

Caring for a patient at the end of life requires a thorough understanding of the patient's disease and a detailed investigation into all domains of the patient's being. The patient's goals of care should be revealed, and the interdisciplinary team must work together to provide the patient with maximal care to ensure the best possible quality of life. We must devise a comprehensive and flexible plan so that any anticipated issues may be resolved quickly. As Sir William Osler stated, our goal as physicians is "to cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always."