China's Healthcare System Urgently Needs the Integration of Palliative Care
10.12290/xhyxzz.2023-0599
- VernacularTitle:我国卫生健康体系亟需缓和医疗融入
- Author:
Xiaohong NING
1
;
Ge YAN
2
Author Information
1. Department of Geriatrics, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China;Palliative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China;
2. School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100006, China;
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
palliative care;
quality of death;
healthcare system;
policy development
- From:
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital
2024;15(1):12-17
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
With the rapid development of medical technology, human dying process has been technicalized and medicalized, but the pain caused by ageing and terminal disease remains widespread. However, Palliative care can alleviate this kind of pain and improve the quality of life for end-stage patients.Over the years, China has introduced a series of policies and laws to include hospice care in the national health system from the legislative level, most healthcare providers, however, are incompetent and unable to understand and deliver palliative care, resulting in the poor quality of death in China. Integration of palliative care into the health system needs to be gradually implemented, by unifying definitions and principles, advocating palliative care practice in clinical work, initiating education in medical students, developing palliative care networks in primary healthcare system, formulating national-level development indicators, and emphasizing localized development, with the hope of avoiding futile or inappropriate treatments at the end of life.
