Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
03:59
Therapeutic Massage for Psychological Well-being in Geriatric Oncology
Published on: May 22, 2026
[Access to palliative care: which barriers for which patients?]
Monica Escher-Imhof1, Claudia Mazzocato, Sophie Pautex
1Equipe mobile douleur et soins palliatifs, Service de pharmacologie et toxicologie cliniques, Département APSI, HUG, Genève. monica.escher@hcuge.ch
Revue Medicale Suisse
|April 2, 2008
Summary
Access to palliative care is limited due to poor patient identification and knowledge gaps. Improving physician education is crucial to enhance palliative care access and quality for all patients.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care Medicine
- Healthcare Access
- Patient Support
Context:
- Palliative care offers significant benefits but faces limited patient access.
- Barriers include inadequate patient identification and understanding of palliative care's role.
- Communication challenges and patient/family perceptions delay referrals.
Purpose:
- To identify barriers to palliative care access.
- To explore challenges in palliative care referral and provision.
- To highlight the need for improved physician education in palliative care.
Summary:
- Key barriers include poor patient identification, lack of knowledge regarding needs and palliative care services, and communication difficulties.
- Patient and family perceptions, particularly the association with cancer and death, delay referrals.
- Non-cancer patients experience even greater delays due to unpredictable disease trajectories, and existing palliative care expertise may not suit their needs.
Impact:
- Addressing these barriers can improve equitable access to palliative care.
- Enhanced physician education is vital for optimizing palliative care delivery.
- Improved understanding and communication can facilitate timely referrals and better patient outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
The barriers to effective communication also include cultural barriers, semantic barriers, gender barriers, and time constraints.
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:25Continuing Care
Continuing care describes the variety of health, personal, and social services provided over a prolonged period. The need for continuing care is increasing because people are living longer. Many people do not have families or others to care for them. Continuing care is mainly for patients who are disabled, functionally dependent, or suffering from a terminal disease. It is available within institutional settings or in homes. Examples include nursing centers or facilities, assisted living,...
01:27Nursing Ethical Principles II
Ethical principles are essential in guiding nurses to fulfill their responsibilities, focusing on the quality of nursing care and decision-making. These principles, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, shape the ethical framework within healthcare settings.
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
01:27Ethical Issues
Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
01:18Introduction To Health Care Delivery System
The healthcare system is constantly changing and complex. Various services are available from different healthcare providers, but gaining access to these services has become challenging for people with limited healthcare insurance. Uninsured people present a challenge to healthcare because they frequently postpone or forego treatment.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) advocates for a patient-centered, effective, safe, timely, equitable, and effective healthcare system. The National Priorities...
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) advocates for a patient-centered, effective, safe, timely, equitable, and effective healthcare system. The National Priorities...
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
The case management model is a multidisciplinary approach that involves healthcare professionals from diverse disciplines, such as physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, and pharmacists, working collaboratively to address the various needs of patients. Each healthcare professional brings unique expertise and perspectives, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's condition and tailoring treatment plans accordingly.
For example, a patient with a chronic illness...
For example, a patient with a chronic illness...