Journal of palliative medicine
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Although the field of pediatric palliative care (PPC) remains in its infancy, over the past decade it has grown in practice and scope. We report on patient referral patterns to a new PPC team at a free-standing children's hospital. ⋯ Our team was operating beyond its predicted year-one volume with a patient population that mirrored larger, more established programs. In an era of growth and acceptance of PPC, hospitals that have undergone a strong needs assessment, significant educational effort, and have a strong prediction of patient volume should expect to be operating at projected capacity quickly.