Completing the Picture of Excellence
In 1997, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched a national program Promoting Excellence in End-of-Life Care with a mission of improving care and quality of life for dying Americans and their families. We soon realized that the metaphor of a jigsaw puzzle seemed apt in describing our efforts to expand access to services and improve quality of care in a wide range of settings and with diverse populations. No single approach would suffice�a variety of strategies, models of care, and stakeholders are necessary to successfully complete the picture. This monograph represents one aspect of our work and one piece of the puzzle of ensuring that the highest quality of care, including palliative care, is available to all seriously ill patients and their families.
Acknowledgements
This publication was produced by Promoting Excellence in End-of-Life Care, a National Program Office of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, directed by Ira Byock, MD.
Primary authors of this report are:
Alvin H. Moss, MD, ESRD Workgroup Chair
ESRD Workgroup Members
A special thanks to Zandra Dillon for her invaluable assistance with conducting background research, compiling the bibliography, and providing support to Workgroup members; and to Susan Jo Bumagin, Workgroup Director, for her assistance in editing this report.
