New York Palliative Care Information Act: Model for the Nation

New York state has recently enacted the Palliative Care Information Act (PCIA), landmark legislation and a model for the nation. This enactment follows closely on the heels of the March 2010 Family Health Care Decisions Act signed into law by Gov. Paterson, also hailed as a milestone in New York state. PCIA obligates physicians and health care practitioners to offer patients diagnosed with a terminal illness or condition appropriate information and counseling about their end-of-life options. Such options include prognosis, risks and benefits, and the patient’s legal rights to comprehensive pain and symptom management at the end of life. The goals of the legislation are to ensure quality clinical practice in end-of-life and palliative care and to empower patients who are dying. The legislation is also an  important step in the shared decision-making movement because it will improve communication between patient and physician, promote trusting relationships, and provide the patient with the best evidence about treatment options.