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[End-of-Life Care: medical and therapeutic aspects]
Insights
In 2020, 424,635 hospital deaths occurred in Germany, highlighting the need for improved end-of-life care. This guide offers practical strategies for providing compassionate care to dying patients, even outside specialized palliative units.
Area of Science:
- Medical Practice
- Palliative Care
- Geriatric Medicine
Context:
- In 2020, 424,635 patients died in German hospitals, representing 43% of all deaths.
- End-of-life care is a fundamental aspect of medical practice, occurring across all hospital departments, not solely in palliative care units.
- Existing guidelines from the German Medical Association and S3 palliative medicine provide a framework, yet practical implementation remains a challenge.
Purpose:
- To define the principles of ideal end-of-life care.
- To provide concrete assistance and practical suggestions for implementing end-of-life care.
- To support healthcare professionals in delivering quality care to dying patients, irrespective of their location within the hospital.
Summary:
- This content outlines the essential components of ideal end-of-life care, drawing from established medical principles and guidelines.
- It offers practical, actionable advice for healthcare providers to effectively manage the care of the dying.
- The focus is on enabling high-quality end-of-life care delivery throughout hospital settings, beyond dedicated palliative units.
Impact:
- Enhance the quality of care for terminally ill patients in hospitals.
- Reduce uncertainty and improve confidence among healthcare professionals in managing end-of-life situations.
- Promote a standardized and compassionate approach to end-of-life care across all hospital wards.
Abstract:
According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, 424635 patients died in hospitals across Germany in 2020. That is 43% of all deaths. Deaths occur everywhere in hospitals - not just in palliative care units - and caring for the dying is considered a basic task of medical practice 1. The German Medical Association has published principles for end-of-life care and the S3 guideline on palliative medicine also provides instructions on what end-of-life care should look like. However, there is often uncertainty as to what the care of the dying should look like in concrete terms. The following explanations are intended to convey how ideal end-of-life care should be designed and provide concrete assistance and suggestions as to how this can also succeed outside a palliative care unit.
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