National Quality Partners Case Study: Integrating Personal Preferences in Advanced Illness Care 

This case study is a supplement to the National Quality Partners (NQP) issue brief, A Collaborative Journey to Transform Advanced Illness Care, published in November 2016. The case study follows Hazel, a 63-year-old-woman diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, as she transitions through the healthcare system, from inpatient and post-acute care to palliative and hospice care. In addition, it illustrates how measures can support the six key preferences of person-centered advanced illness care identified in the issue brief: purpose and connection, physical comfort, emotional and psychological well-being, family and caregiver support, financial security, and peaceful death and dying. By placing individuals at the center as the guiding North Star of all healthcare decisions, National Quality Forum calls on the nation to transform advanced illness care and to engage patients, families, and caregivers as true partners in care planning.