When faced with a terminal illness, patients’ under hospice services want to know their estimated length of survival. Not knowing leads unrealistic plans of care and unknown life expectancy rates. Patients rely on the use of prognostication so that proper planning and discussions of the end-of-life can be had. It is not only the patient who benefits from the use of an accurate prognostic tool but also family, friends, and all involved in the patients’ medical care. Because individuals with a terminal illness need and want an estimated length of survival, having a clinician that is knowledgeable in the accurate use of the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) will allow for accurate prognostication and open lines of communication.
