Patients with ESRD experience complex and costly care that does not always meet their needs. Palliative care, which focuses on improving quality of life and relieving suffering for patients with serious illnesses, could address a large unmet need among patients with ESRD. Strengthening palliative care is a top policy priority for health reform efforts based on strong evidence that palliative ca...

BACKGROUND Even though struggling with similar symptom burden, patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) receive less palliative care than patients suffering from malignant diseases. Researchers have found that this might be related to lack of knowledge about palliative care, insufficient interprofessional communication as well as the cyclic course of disease which makes accurate prognosis diff...

Based on the demonstrated effectiveness of palliative care in the alleviation of symptoms and enhancement of life quality, it is important to incorporate palliative care early in the respiratory disease trajectory. Quality palliative care addresses eight domains that are all patient and family centred. Palliative care interventions in respiratory conditions include management of symptoms such a...

BACKGROUND Many people who might benefit from specialist palliative care services are not using them. AIM We examined the use of these services and the reasons for not using them in a population in potential need of palliative care. METHODS We conducted a population-based survey regarding end-of-life care among physicians certifying a large representative sample (n = 6188) of deaths in Flan...

OBJECTIVE The aims of the study were to examine a) patients' knowledge of palliative care, b) patients' expectations and needs when being admitted to a palliative care unit, and c) patient's concept of a good palliative care physician. METHODS The study was based on a qualitative methodology, comprising 32 semistructured interviews with advanced cancer patients admitted to the palliative care...

Background: With the introduction of New South Wales Ambulance Authorised Palliative Care Plans within a metropolitan palliative care service, perspectives patients, caregivers and clinicians their understandings processes involved in completing were investigated.

Access to palliative care is insufficient in many countries around the world. In an effort to improve access to palliative care services and treatments, a public health approach as suggested by the World Health Organization was implemented in Colombia to improve opioid availability, increase awareness and competences about palliative care for healthcare workers, and to include palliative care a...

In China over the past decade, palliative medicine has emerged as a new program. Development of this program requires attention to current opportunities, obstacles and cultural concerns. A selected review showed that there is an urgent need for palliative care in mainland China. Several challenges to implementing palliative care service in China include: (1) cultural perception and misunderstan...

Palliative cancer care is the integration into oncologic care of therapies that address the issues that cause physical and psychosocial suffering for the patient and family. Effective provision of palliative cancer care requires an interdisciplinary team that can provide care in all settings (home, inpatient, and outpatient). There is clear evidence for improved outcomes in multiple domains-sym...

INTRODUCTION Patients with heart failure have a significant symptom burden and other palliative care needs often over a longer period than patients with cancer. It is acknowledged that this need may be unmet but by how much has not been quantified in primary care data at the population level. METHODS This was the first use of Clinical Practice Research Datalink, the world's largest primary ca...