The continuing challenge of palliative care

[摘要] Palliative care, unlike many other specialties, has many of its roots in primary and community care. Cicely Saunders' original vision on her pioneering journey to establish hospices and hospice care worldwide, was primarily to ensure that excellent care relieved patients' suffering as they approached death. She coined the term ‘total pain’ to express the overwhelming feelings of pain and despair that occur when physical pain is compounded by emotional anguish, social concerns and isolation, and spiritual turmoil. She also drew attention to a patient's need to feel confident that the professionals are committed to providing care, valuing the individual patient, and above all, not abandoning the patient in their hour of greatest need, whenever that is. Such a personal relationship was seen in the traditional family doctor role, but the establishment of the hospice movement brought the science of palliative care into the frame.

[学科分类] 卫生学