Misson & Vision

Mission:

The AAP Section on Hospice and Palliative Medicine strives to ensure that all children with hospice and palliative care needs and their families have access to and receive the highest possible quality of care regardless of where they live.

Vision:

Children with life-threatening and/or life-limiting conditions and their families meet their challenges with a minimum of pain and the highest possible degree of support from the healthcare community.

Pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists are able to recognize children who will benefit from palliative care, and have the knowledge and skill to provide palliative care or to secure referral to colleagues who will provide outstanding palliative care.

Core Values:

We believe:

  • Children with severe health conditions and their families deserve to have pain and suffering minimized;     
  • Children near the end of life and their families deserve compassion and support;
  • Despite the best efforts to save the lives of children, some will inevitably die;
  • Every pediatrician, in partnership with other healthcare providers and supporters, is capable of addressing the needs of children with life-limiting and/or life-threatening conditions, and their families, through personal knowledge and skill or by providing proper referral, treatment, and follow up.