Palliative Care Referral in the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Population

Abstract

Palliative care can mistakenly be thought of as precise synonym of hospice care, with the misunderstanding that curative or life-sustaining therapies are no longer pursued once palliative care is incorporated. Typically, palliative care may not be incorporated until a later disease stage in patients with COPD. This letter discusses the value of making a referral to palliative care at an earlier stage of COPD with the goals of providing more holistic, comprehensive treatment for the patient and their family.