Moving Palliative Care Upstream: A Roadmap for Holistic Cancer Care
In an interview published in Oncology Central, an oncology social work leader makes the case for integrating palliative care and psychosocial support earlier and more consistently throughout the cancer continuum. She identifies key barriers to integration, including resource constraints, limited reimbursement, and the concentration of psychosocial services in academic settings, despite approximately 85% of cancer patients being treated in community-based settings. She calls for "whole person" care, encompassing psychosocial support, spiritual care, physical rehabilitation, and caregiver support, to become the reimbursable standard in oncology.