Origin Its modern origin traces to the British physician Dame Cicely Saunders, who established an early hospice in 1948 and founded St Christopher's Hospice in London in 1967, later helping develop the first hospice program in the United States, in Connecticut, in 1974; hospice and palliative medicine was formally recognized as a subspecialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties in 2006.
Hospice and palliative medicine is the branch of medicine focused on relieving the suffering and improving the quality of life of patients with serious, complex or terminal illness, addressing pain, symptoms and psychosocial needs rather than pursuing curative treatment. This atlas records what the historical record supports and is not medical advice.
Facts
Origin PeriodSourced to the subject's own accountIts modern origin traces to the British physician Dame Cicely Saunders, who established an early hospice in 1948 and founded St Christopher's Hospice in London in 1967, later helping develop the first hospice program in the United States, in Connecticut, in 1974; hospice and palliative medicine was formally recognized as a subspecialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties in 2006. 2 Classification
Type/Classification Connections
Associated With
Notable Specialists
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, author of On Death and Dying, is a pioneer of hospice and end-of-life care.
Treats
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Medical specialty
WikipediaClassification tableQuote, Classification table
Medical specialties that focus on the diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of disease.
2. Hospice and Palliative Medicine (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead section
In 2006, hospice and palliative medicine was officially recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
Etymology and historical development section
The first formal hospice was founded in 1948 by the British physician Dame Cicely Saunders in order to care for patients with terminal illnesses.
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