Clinical Excellence in Palliative Care: Examples From the Published Literature

Abstract

Background: With the expansion of palliative care, the concept of clinical excellence is worthy of study and has not been described well in the literature. Objective: To apply the domains of clinical excellence, as proposed and published by the Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence, to the field of palliative care. Design: Review of the literature to identify episodes of superb palliative care delivered by individuals and teams. Measurement and Main Results: In reviewing 821 publications, we found multiple palliative care case reports to serve as exemplars for each of the distinct domains of clinical excellence. Conclusions: The domains of excellence are relevant and applicable to the field of palliative care. This article aims to inspire clinicians—and advance the field—by promoting thoughtful reflection on what clinical excellence in palliative care entails.