Center to Advance Palliative Care

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Palliative Care vs. Other Services

In order to make your case for palliative care most effective, you will need to differentiate palliative care from related services, such as hospice or geriatrics, offered in your hospital. The following chart will help make the differences clear.

Palliative Care vs. Related Services


Palliative Care Geriatrics Hospice Care Case Management
Patients Served Patients of any age, at any stage of advanced and life-threatening illness Elderly and frail patients Dying patients of any age All patients with complex care needs
Services Provided Throughout illness and simultaneous with other treatment, comprehensive, coordinated pain and symptom control, care of psychological and spiritual needs, family support and assistance in making transitions between care settings Prevention, rehabilitation, disease management, functional assessment, and recovery specific to older adults At the end of life and when curative treatment not desired or not effective, comprehensive, coordinated pain and symptom control, care of psychological and spiritual needs, family support and assistance in making transitions between care settings. Bereavement care for survivors. Assists to develop treatment plans guided by benchmarks, pathways and standards
Key Differences
  • Program open to all seriously ill patients, not just those with six-month prognosis
  • Patients do not have to forgo curative care
  • Palliative care team coordinates care from variety of health care providers, including specialists and primary care physicians to prevent service fragmentation
  • Focus on prevention, chronic disease management, functional assessment, recovery and rehabilitation among older adults
  • Six-month prognosis required by Medicare and other funders. Coverage includes outpatient medications and supplies. Efforts to cure or prolong life not covered.
  • Assists to coordinate care and facilitate transitions between settings. Independent medical judgment not provided