A model to improve value: the interdisciplinary palliative care services agreement.

Abstract This article examines the definition of value in medical care for palliative care patients and describes an Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Services Agreement, which is a framework for valued, financially sustainable palliative care at a 500-bed academic medical center. Quality standards drive team interventions and also serve as metrics for financial support. The agreement defines staffing ratios necessary for sustainable team growth and represents a financial model that positions the field of palliative medicine competitively among other medical specialities.