A clinical case-based handbook has a role in general clinicians' practice of caring for
patients with serious or life-limiting illness. The explosion of the field of Hospice and
Palliative Medicine impacts all physicians and healthcare providers. Fellowship trained s-
cialists graduate in greater numbers annually. These and more seasoned specialists are now
certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties as subspecialists. Research in this
field is expanding in scope and quantity and peer reviewed journals devoted to this work are
multiplying. Moreover peer reviewed journals in primary care and other subspecialties of
medicine regularly include papers that focus on end-of-life care quality of life issues and
symptom management. Overall then access to clinical information necessary to care for patients
with life-limiting illness is not only essential but also increasingly available. This
case-based clinical book aims to help with the actual practice of caring for patients with
life-limiting illness. Numerous texts and journals exist to provide the data to inform care
yet there remains a need to find practical points and information about the practical
application of the principles of palliative care. Thus we hope that the cases key points and
practical tips will help health care providers who are not experts already in palliative care
in the care of patients with serious illness and challenging problems. Some chapters follow one
patient through the course of an illness to highlight the applicability of palliative care
throughout the disease process.
