What role do advance care planning and communication play in palliative care?

Advance care planning and communication hold a pivotal role in palliative care by helping to ensure that patients’ wishes and values are honored in their treatment and care decisions. This process involves discussions between patients, their families, and healthcare providers to clarify the patient's preferences regarding their care, particularly in the face of serious or terminal illnesses.

The importance of individualized care is central to palliative care, which focuses not only on pain relief and symptom management but also on aligning clinical decisions with what is most meaningful for the patient. Effective communication fosters understanding and trust, enabling healthcare providers to deliver care that respects and reflects the patient’s goals, healthcare values, and preferences. This alignment helps reduce patient and family anxiety, increases satisfaction with care, and supports improved quality of life, even in the context of serious illness.

The incorrect statements suggest that advance care planning is coercive, only relevant to a certain age group, or irrelevant to care delivery. In reality, the approach is intended to empower patients, making their preferences a central aspect of their care journey, regardless of age or the stage of illness.