Evolving Scope of Specialty Palliative Care: Guidelines, Implications, and Future Directions
As specialty palliative care (SPC) programs expand, inconsistent referral criteria and limited workforce capacity have created confusion about which patients should receive care. A Mount Sinai task force, including CAPC Founder, Director Emerita and Strategic Medical Advisor, Dr. Diane E. Meier, developed institutional guidelines to clarify SPC scope of practice through literature review, clinician surveys, and peer institution input. The resulting consensus prioritizes patients with serious illness defined by both high mortality risk and significant impact on quality of life or caregiver burden, while excluding patients with chronic pain or psychosocial distress alone. The guideline aims to support appropriate referrals, sustainable workforce use, and a clearer understanding of SPC’s role, while encouraging ongoing national discussion about defining and communicating palliative care scope.