[Practice and problem in hospice and home palliative care]

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Hospice Services
• Home Healthcare

Background:

• Yamaguchi Red Cross Hospital provides coordinated palliative care for inpatients, outpatients, and home-based services.
• The Home Nursing Center is central to delivering home palliative care, requiring dedicated medical services.
• The hospital served 25% of terminal cancer patients who died in palliative care or at home in Yamaguchi City.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current state of hospice and palliative care services.
• To identify needs for future development in home palliative care.
• To propose a system for patient choice in end-of-life care settings.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing hospice and palliative care service structures.
• Analysis of patient demographics and care settings (inpatient, outpatient, home).
• Assessment of the role of the Home Nursing Center in home palliative care.

Main Results:

• Integrated palliative care is provided, with a significant role for the Home Nursing Center.
• A substantial proportion of terminal cancer patients in Yamaguchi City utilized these services.
• Current services highlight the need for a more flexible system allowing patient choice.

Conclusions:

• Establishment of a system enabling patient choice between inpatient, outpatient, and home palliative care is crucial.
• Dissemination of home palliative care requires collaboration between municipalities, medical institutions, and welfare organizations.
• Coordinated efforts can support patients and families in achieving meaningful lives at their chosen place of residence.