The term palliative care was coined in 1975 to describe the core goals of a newly created hospital-based service in Quebec, Canada, designed to improve quality of life and mitigate sources of distress for patients with serious life-threatening illness.1 Now, 45 years later, palliative care retains its central focus on improving quality of life for individuals with serious life-limiting illnesses and their families by addressing physical and psychological symptoms and social and spiritual needs and aligning patient and family values with available care options.