Long Term Support of Children with Life-Threatening Disease - Summary of the First Two Years of the Pediatric Palliative Care Service in Shaare Zedek Medical Center Jerusalem

Long Term Support of Children with Life-Threatening Disease - Summary of the First Two Years of the Pediatric Palliative Care Service in Shaare Zedek Medical Center Jerusalem

Freid I; Wajntraub R; Bartov S

Harefuah

2022

Children; Israel; Long-term care; Pediatric pallative care

INTRODUCTION: Palliative care involves management of medical, psychological, mental and social symptoms of children with life-threatening illnesses. AIMS: The article describes the organization and function of a multidisciplinary palliative care service within the pediatric hospital. The service supports children throughout their follow-up: in admission, in the community and in home care. METHODS: Retrospective summary of data from the hospital database. RESULTS: Over the last two years, seventy-five children with life-threatening illnesses were followed and treated by the palliative care team. Medical, nursing, psychosocial, educational and alternative medicine personnel were part of the team; 32 children died, 15 of them died in home hospice. Ten of the children were discharged to home hospice as an only alternative to prolonged admission. Financial coverage was provided by the health maintenance organizations. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital-based palliative care may provide long-term holistic support to the families and medical teams at the end of life. Long-term support of palliative care service is feasible and may be highly valuable to the children and the medical teams. DISCUSSION: Children at end-of-life require complicated multidisciplinary follow-up during admissions and at home. A hospital-based palliative care team - involving all caretakers, may improve holistic long-term support at the end of life.

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August 2022 List