The report is based on 20 years of clinical service development and research to understand the impact of hospital palliative care services.
According to the report, effective palliative care services can:
- improve patient and family centred care
- reduce avoidable patient suffering and distress
- improve survival and quality of life
- prevent adverse effects and lead to better outcomes, fewer re-admissions and shorter hospital stays.
Many hospitals and health care systems have recognised these benefits and are moving in a coordinated fashion to integrate palliative care principles and services. These services help meet national priorities of providing high-quality, patient-centred care and reducing re-admissions and health care costs.
The report includes case studies and appendices including:
- National Palliative Care Standards and Certification
- Operational Features for Hospital Palliative Care Programmes
- Useful Metrics to Measure Impact and Value of Hospital Palliative Care
- Palliative Care Screening Tool.
‘Palliative care services: solutions for better patient care and today’s health care delivery challenges’ can be downloaded from the American Hospital Association website.
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