Optimizing Palliative Care Delivery in the Intensive Care Unit:A Multi-Institutional Qualitative Study of Palliative Care Clinicians' Views on Their Role in the ICU

This study explores the perspectives of specialty palliative care (SPC) clinicians on when their consultations are most and least beneficial for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and their preferred models for integration. Through interviews with 19 SPC clinicians, the authors identified key themes related to communication, the need for improved primary palliative care skills among intensivists, and the advantages of embedding SPC within ICU teams. The findings suggest that optimizing SPC-ICU collaboration requires a shared understanding of consultation needs and strengthened relationships between SPC and ICU staff.