This text investigates the essential role of social work within interdisciplinary palliative care teams to improve the quality of life for patients and families facing life-threatening illnesses. Editors Shirley Otis-Green and Terry Altilio, both recognized pioneers in the field, synthesize contributions from an international cohort of experts to establish a biopsychosocial-spiritual framework for practice. The book provides a rigorous, evidence-informed foundation for clinicians, researchers, and policy-makers to integrate social work expertise into broader medical care systems.

Experts and practitioners identify this work as a foundational resource for the specialization of palliative social work. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and its utility as a primary reference for clinicians working in complex medical environments.