Center to Advance Palliative Care

I remember the days befor there was board certification in critical care---through any pathway: medicine, surgery, pediaatrics, or anesthesia ( I happen to be certified in Critical Care Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Care) thinking, "it sure will be great when we get a certification process in critical care medicine". Then ICU patients will get great care. ICU consults with intensivists will be mandated throughout the country and we will help lots of patients and save the health care system mega bucks. Most ICU's in this country probably do not even have mandated consults with intensivists (most community hospitals)and their attendings likely will balk at mandated palliative care consults. You see, academia is a world unto itself, but the power and control of a hospital unit is a battle gound only for the well armed. EH