Pediatric palliative care (PPC) access in Chile: Private practice health insurance law implementation

Title

Pediatric palliative care (PPC) access in Chile: Private practice health insurance law implementation

Creator

Rojas N; Rosas A; Araya E; Varela J; Lopez P; Gallastegui A

Identifier

Publisher

Pediatric Blood And Cancer

Date

2017

Subject

Chile;health Insurance;palliative Therapy;private Practice; Analgesia; Central Nervous System Tumor; Child; Clinical Article; Counseling; Diagnosis; Doctor Patient Relation; Female; Home Visit; Human; Leukemia; Nurse; Outpatient; Overall Survival; Psychologist; School Child; Telephone

Description

Background: There are 600 new pediatric cancer cases in Chile in a year, with an overall survival of 70% and there are two systems that guarantee the access for patients to health providers: The public system, or national health fund (FONASA), and the private one, supported by insurance health institutions (ISAPRES), both financed by employees or contributors. Today in Chile the distribution of the population between both systems is 75% and 25% respectively. In 2004, in Chile, was enacted the law number 19.966 of explicit health guarantees (GES), that forces health systems to provide contributors the access, along with many other pathologies, to palliative care and pain relief for oncologic patients, despite the age. PPC is well developed and provided in the public system, but no precedents have being settled in the private area. Objectives: To show the results of the first PPC team focused on the private practice in Chile. Design/Method: According to data published by Chilean ministry of health pain relief and palliative care program, extrapolating the patient distribution in the private practice area, and assuming a similar overall survival, the estimated number of patients that could be beneficiated by this program should be between 20 and 25 per year. We count on an interdisciplinary team (nurses, kinesiologist, psychologist and physicians) able to offer care according to each patient needs: Home visit, outpatient consultation, telephone assistance, treating teams counseling, supplies provision, etc. Demographics and charateristics of our group are presented. Results: In the first 13 months of functioning, 21 cases have been evaluated (including 2 non oncologic patients) and 14 of them have been admitted to the program. Aveerage age of 8.6 years old. 8 female. Time fromadmission to program of 5 months (range 0.2-20) central nervous system tumors and relapsed leukemias are the main diagnoses. Conclusion: Chilean law guarantees a benefit to patients but their access is not properly assured. The mission of our team is to provide integral care to this patients and to become a reference team for the health insurance institions and their affiliated.

Rights

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Citation List Month

n/a

Citation

Rojas N; Rosas A; Araya E; Varela J; Lopez P; Gallastegui A, “Pediatric palliative care (PPC) access in Chile: Private practice health insurance law implementation,” Pediatric Palliative Care Library, accessed March 19, 2024, https://pedpalascnetlibrary.omeka.net/items/show/11203.