Patient Perceptions of Palliative Care in Surgery
A study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management explored how older adults with serious illness, mostly undergoing orthopedic surgery, perceive and experience palliative care. Through ethnographic observations and interviews across multiple sites at a regional academic health system, researchers found that patients often equated palliative care with hospice and believed it was incompatible with surgery. That said, during surgical visits, patients still raised palliative care-related concerns, such as social and psychological burdens. When given a fuller definition of palliative care, some patients welcomed greater integration into their care, while others preferred their surgeons focus solely on technical aspects of care.