Beyond Medicine-A Visit that Mattered

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• End-of-Life Care
• Patient-Centered Medicine

Background:

• End-of-life care often focuses on symptom management.
• Patient wishes and dignity are paramount in holistic care.
• Non-pharmacological interventions can significantly impact patient and family well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the impact of fulfilling a patient's wish to see their pet dog at a tertiary care hospital in India.
• To highlight the importance of honoring patient dignity through non-pharmacological means in end-of-life care.
• To demonstrate the positive effects on patient happiness and family impact.

Main Methods:

• A narrative case report detailing a unique end-of-life care scenario.
• Involves facilitating a patient's wish to interact with their pet dog within a hospital setting.
• Focuses on qualitative observations of patient and family experience.

Main Results:

• Fulfilling the patient's wish brought happiness and comfort.
• The experience positively impacted the patient's family.
• Reinforced the significance of non-pharmacological interventions in end-of-life care.

Conclusions:

• Honoring patient dignity through fulfilling specific wishes, like pet visitation, is vital in end-of-life care.
• Non-pharmacological measures are as critical as pharmacological treatments for symptom relief and overall well-being.
• Such experiences underscore the importance of compassionate, patient-centered end-of-life care.