Building a palliative radiation oncology program: From bedside to B.E.D.

A growing body of evidence supports the integration of palliative care with standard cancer treatments. In these situations, patients often experience a better quality of life, better quality of care, decreased cost, and, in some cases, improved survival with the addition of palliative care services to traditional treatment pathways. In this manuscript, we explore the integration of radiation oncology at palliative care. First, we discuss the impetus for change at Vanderbilt University and the inception of Vanderbilt's inpatient Palliative Radiation Oncology Service at Vanderbilt. Second, we discuss the growth of palliative care and how this invites innovative collaborative care delivery models. As you will see, this mutually beneficial relationship expands new service lines, brings radiation oncology interventions and expertise to more patients seen by palliative care specialists, and improves overall care for some of the sickest, most vulnerable patients in the health care system. As we move away from fee-for-service and toward bundled and global-based strategies, there will be further emphasis on supportive and palliative care services at the end of life. Understanding how radiation oncology can evolve is ever more relevant.