J Korean Med Assoc.  2008 Jun;51(6):530-535. 10.5124/jkma.2008.51.6.530.

Hospice Care for Improving Terminally Ill Patients' Quality of Life

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Cancer Control, National Cancer Control, Research Institute National Cancer Center, Korea. lawyun08@ncc.re.kr

Abstract

Despite various efforts for improving quality care at the end-of-life (EOL), there are still many barriers not to reduce the burdens of patients with terminal illness and their care-givers. Many patients have uncontrolled pain, inappropriate use of life-sustaining treatments, socioeconomic burdens, and ethical conflicts. We need to establish strategies to reduce physical, emotional, socioeconomic suffering among the patients and their family members, and to develop national program for their dying with dignity. These efforts would improve patients' quality of life at EOL and economic loss of national health insurance, and sublimate the hospice to national movement.

Keyword

End-of-life; Quality care; Hospice care

MeSH Terms

Hospice Care
Hospices
Humans
Mercuric Chloride
National Health Programs
Quality of Life
Stress, Psychological
Terminally Ill
Mercuric Chloride

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