Patient Care
Past, Present, and Future
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13629707 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Robert Twycross (University of Oxford, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 7-19 |
| Publication date | 2007-09-26 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2190/om.56.1.b |
| PMID | 18051016 |
| OpenAlex | W2031016163 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 4 |
The 40 years since St Christopher's Hospice opened has witnessed a burgeoning international interest in palliative care. Its key characteristics comprise a focus on the whole-person (physical, psychological, social, and spiritual), patient-centeredness (partnership with and empowerment of the patient and family), openness and honesty in communication, an acceptance of the inevitability of death coupled with improvement in the quality of life, multi-professional teamwork integrated with community (volunteer) involvement. Although much has been achieved, much remains to be done. Both in resource-poor countries and in more wealthy ones, the scope of palliative care has changed. Initially in the United Kingdom, palliative care was mostly limited to cancer patients but now strenuous efforts are being made to extend coverage to other patient groups, e.g., those with end-stage heart disease or renal failure. In India, with a dearth of chronic care facilities, palliative care services increasingly embrace those with chronic disability as well as progressive end-stage disease. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the devastating impact of AIDS is having a major impact on the development and delivery of palliative care. To maximize the benefits of limited financial and other resources, a strategic approach is necessary. The World Health Organization emphasizes three essential foundation measures: health service policy, public awareness and professional education, and drug availability. However, at the end of the day, if we are truly to honor Cicely Saunders, palliative care must remain a movement with momentum, combining creative charisma with inevitable bureaucratic routinization
Health care · Palliative care · Political science · Public relations · Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units · Law · Medicine · Nursing · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Patient Dignity and Privacy · Psychology
| Citations per year | 0.13 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2011 - 2012 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |