In this chapter, “supportive palliative care” means physician-directed interdisciplinary patient- and family-centered care provided to a patient with a serious illness without regard to the patient’s age or terminal prognosis that:
(1) may be provided concurrently with methods of treatment or therapies that seek to cure or minimize the effects of the patient’s illness; and
(2) seeks to optimize the quality of life for a patient with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness and the patient’s family through various methods, including methods that seek to:
(A) anticipate, prevent, and treat the patient’s total suffering related to the patient’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual condition;
(B) address the physical, intellectual, emotional, cultural, social, and spiritual needs of the patient; and
(C) facilitate for the patient regarding treatment options, education, informed consent, and expression of desires.