Collaborating to Facilitate Communication & Symptom Management in Patients with Acute Surgical Illness

Seriously ill patients with acute surgical problems present clinical challenges for surgeons and palliative care clinicians alike. Surgeons often struggle to accurately assess patient risk and align therapeutic plans with patient goals. Palliative care clinicians often face uncertainty in identifying patients appropriate for surgical evaluation and treatment, and supporting patients and families through complex perioperative decision making. This Master Clinician will highlight cases in which seriously ill patients developed acute life-altering surgical problems. The cases will illustrate how effective collaboration between specialties can assist in developing balanced, patient-centered treatment plans that advance patient goals through the carefully considered deployment of surgical options and approaches.