![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.seonewswire.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-o-matic\/cache\/4b8476c7ca_PalliativeCare-Spotlight2.jpg\" "\\"PalliativeCare_Spotlight2\\"")
<\/a><\/h3>\nThere is only one palliative care specialist for every 20,000 older adults living with a severe chronic illness.<\/span><\/h3>\nCurrently there\u2019s a shortfall of up to 18,000 physicians focused on palliative care<\/strong> and hospice care. According to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine<\/a> there are 5,150 hospice programs and 1,635 hospital palliative care teams in the U.S. today.<\/p>\nThat equates to one specialist for every 20,000 older adults living with a severe chronic illness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n(Related: Duke Medicine Study Supports Family History and Risk for Alzheimer’s<\/a>)<\/p>\n“There have to be more people for whom this is a specialty,” says Dr. Thomas Smith, director of palliative medicine<\/a> at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. “If you don’t have enough people to be out there practicing and showing people a better way to communicate, a better way to relieve pain, a better way to help people’s distress, it won’t happen.”<\/p>\nPatients turn to palliative care<\/strong> with a number of (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There is only one palliative care specialist for every 20,000 older adults living with a severe chronic illness. Currently there\u2019s a shortfall of up to 18,000 physicians focused on palliative care and hospice care. According to the American Academy of…<\/span><\/p>\n
That equates to one specialist for every 20,000 older adults living with a severe chronic illness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n (Related: Duke Medicine Study Supports Family History and Risk for Alzheimer’s<\/a>)<\/p>\n “There have to be more people for whom this is a specialty,” says Dr. Thomas Smith, director of palliative medicine<\/a> at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. “If you don’t have enough people to be out there practicing and showing people a better way to communicate, a better way to relieve pain, a better way to help people’s distress, it won’t happen.”<\/p>\n Patients turn to palliative care<\/strong> with a number of (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There is only one palliative care specialist for every 20,000 older adults living with a severe chronic illness. Currently there\u2019s a shortfall of up to 18,000 physicians focused on palliative care and hospice care. According to the American Academy of…<\/span><\/p>\n