Introduction: continuous quality improvement for better end-of-life care -- How to make improvement happen -- Preventing, assessing and treating pain -- Managing dyspnea and ventilator withdrawal -- Beyond the living will: advance care planning for all stages of health and disease -- Supporting people in difficult times: relationships, spirituality, and bereavement -- Continuity of care: improving transitions, continuity, and coordination of care in the health care system -- Caring for caregivers: helping staff to provide good care -- Hospital-based palliative care consults and units -- Law , policy, and finance -- Alzheimer's and other dementias: opportunities to honor life -- Opportunites to improve care for cancer patients -- Offering end-of-life services to patients with advanced heart or lung failure -- Depression and delirium -- Conclusion: getting started. |