Surgical Palliative Care

The ACS Committee on Surgical Palliative Care is dedicated to improving the quality of surgical care of individuals, families, and populations facing serious illness, disability, death and bereavement. Through education, research, and advocacy our mission is to advance the integration of palliative care into surgical practice throughout the spectrum of surgical disease.

White Papers

Surgery, Palliative Care, and the American College of Surgeons

Principles and Core Competencies of Surgical Palliative Care: An Overview

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Statements

Statement of Principles of Palliative Care

This statement describes extending palliative care to a broad range of patients receiving surgical care.

Advance Directives by Patients: "Do Not Resuscitate" in the Operating Room

Advance directives, including DNR orders and requests, are being used with increasing frequency and may complicate the operative consent process.

ACS Publications and Resources

Surgical Palliative Care: What You Should Know

Surgeons have worked for centuries to reduce their patients’ suffering and improve their quality of life. Palliative care (sometimes also called “supportive care”) is medical care focused on relieving the symptoms and stress of serious illness. How do surgical care and palliative care fit together, and is palliative care right for you? Read more.

Surgical Palliative Care: Considerations for Career Development in Surgery and Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Surgical palliative care has garnered increasing attention from both surgical residents and practicing surgeons. Read more.

Surgical Palliative Care: A New Career for All Surgeons (Video)

This webinar will help surgeons to learn about improving the end-of-life care for surgical patients and to help them address difficult issues with those patients and their families. View video.