Quality Standards and Certifications

The National Consensus Project (NCP) Clinical Practice Guidelines are the national standard for high quality palliative care. National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care, 2018.

Systematic review and grading of the evidence supporting each domain of the NCP Guidelines; reviews literature published between 2013 to 2017.

National accreditation standards for cancer care, requiring provision of palliative care services, navigation programs, and psychosocial distress screening.

ASCO Guideline calling for routine use of early and concurrent palliative care for advanced stage cancer patients.

ACC/AHA Guidance endorsing concurrent palliative care to improve quality of life for patients with symptomatic advanced heart failure (originally published in 2013 and updated in 2017), as well as management of adults with congenital heart disease.

The Alzheimer Association's 2018 dementia care recommendations, drawn on person-centered care principles.

PAs can demonstrate their specialty and competency through a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Palliative Medicine and Hospice Care (PMHC CAQ), administered by the NCCPA.

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine examination is administered by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

The Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) website offers information and testing dates for hospice and palliative nursing certification.

The APHSW-C certification recognizes bachelor’s and master’s level social workers with experience, specialized skills, and competency in hospice and palliative social work. The APHSW-C assures the public that certified practitioners have the knowledge and skills to provide safe, high-quality care at an advanced level. Individuals eligible for certification include experienced hospice and palliative care social workers that practice in clinical and academic settings in the United States and Canada.

Certification in hospice and palliative care is available through the National Association of Social Workers for a bachelor's or master's level social worker.

Palliative care specialty certification through the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI), an affiliate of the Association of Professional Chaplains.

The College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy offers training and accreditation for chaplains, pastoral supervisors, and pastoral psychotherapists.

Recognizes palliative care programs in TJC-accredited hospitals that demonstrate exceptional quality.

Recognizes hospital palliative care programs in that demonstrate exceptional quality. DNV GL base accreditation is not required.

Recognizes palliative care programs delivered by hospice or home health agencies that demonstrate exceptional quality.

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) recognizes community-based palliative care programs that demonstrate exceptional quality; optional distinction in telehealth available. ACHC also offers palliative care distinction for accredited home health, hospice, and private duty agencies.

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) recognizes home health and hospice programs that have demonstrated excellence in delivering age-friendly care to elderly patients.

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) is committed to providing healthcare organizations with comprehensive standards that facilitate the highest level of performance. In 2024, an additional distinction for community-based palliative care programs, incorporating care delivery via telehealth was added. This document includes the Preliminary Evidence Report Checklist and ACHC Palliative Care Accreditation Standards.

Recognizes home-based programs that demonstrate exceptional quality. CHAP base accreditation not required, and home-based medical groups are eligible. Community Health Accreditation Partner, 2019.

National accreditation standards for cancer care, requiring provision of palliative care services, navigation programs, and psychosocial distress screening.

Three levels of certification available, managed by the American College of Emergency Physicians; requires clinical protocol to identify ED patients who might benefit from palliative care and facilitate access.

A blog describing two straight-forward and effective programs, one at Anthem Inc and one Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, incentivizing access to palliative care in network hospitals.

Structures and processes that all hospitals and skilled nursing facilities need to assure access to high-quality care for people with serious illness.

A one-page document that translates the 4Ms of Age-Friendly Health Systems into action.

Recommended capabilities and competencies for payers and policymakers to contract with quality programs.

PCQC is a membership organization that operates a national unified palliative care registry, which captures both program and patient-level data. Membership allows palliative care teams to track their performance over time, benchmark against their peers, and participate in quality improvement offerings.

Measures that can be used by payers and policymakers to ensure quality care for people living with serious illness.

Guidance on how to use the new measures, heard and understood and attention to pain, from the American Association of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Use this toolkit to select program measures that demonstrate value and support quality care delivery. Overcome common measurement obstacles and synthesize program data.

Consolidation of selected areas of focus and defined strategies to enhance accountability for access to palliative care and enhance the quality of those services. Center to Advance Palliative Care and National Quality Forum, 2020.

Insights, recommended strategies, approaches, and tools, and a snapshot of the current quality measurement landscape for serious illness. National Quality Forum (NQF).

A comprehensive profile of hospital palliative care programs participating in the National Palliative Care Registry™. The goal of this report is to provide actionable information to promote standardization and improve the quality of hospital palliative care.