Palliative Care in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A New Partnership

Background Palliative care (PC) is being increasingly recognized for benefitting patients with a wide spectrum of chronic serious medical conditions. Methods Care models and principles of PC for patient with inflammatory bowel disease were explored. Results The use of a structured and systematic approach for emotionally laden conversations and the “Total Pain” paradigm are examples of PC expertise that can be applied through either primary or consultative PC models. Conclusions PC should be considered in clinical practice and as a topic for further scholarly investigation to further define its role and benefits.