Development of palliative care services in Turkey
Fatih Göksel
Department of Radiation Oncology, Dr AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorGülçin Şenel
Palliative Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology, Dr AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorGonca Oğuz
Palliative Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology, Dr AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorTarkan Özdemir
Department of Chest Diseases, Dr AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorMustafa Hamidullah Türkkanı
Department of Chest Diseases, Sincan Public Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorMuhammed Ertuğrul Eğin
Turkish Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorMurat Gultekin
Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Michael Silbermann
Middle East Cancer Consortium, Haifa, Israel
Correspondence
Michael Silbermann, Middle East Cancer Consortium, 84 Hatishbi Street, Haifa, 3452206, Israel.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFatih Göksel
Department of Radiation Oncology, Dr AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorGülçin Şenel
Palliative Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology, Dr AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorGonca Oğuz
Palliative Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology, Dr AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorTarkan Özdemir
Department of Chest Diseases, Dr AY Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorMustafa Hamidullah Türkkanı
Department of Chest Diseases, Sincan Public Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorMuhammed Ertuğrul Eğin
Turkish Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorMurat Gultekin
Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Michael Silbermann
Middle East Cancer Consortium, Haifa, Israel
Correspondence
Michael Silbermann, Middle East Cancer Consortium, 84 Hatishbi Street, Haifa, 3452206, Israel.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Introduction
Palliative care (PC) is a holistic philosophy of care that can only be obtained through the awareness of public and healthcare professionals, PC training and good integration into the health system. Depending on health system structures, there are differences in PC models and organisations in various countries. This study is designed to evaluate the current status of PC services in Turkey, which is strongly supported by national health policies.
Methods
The data were collected through official correspondence with the Ministry of Health, Provincial Directorate of Health and hospital authorities. Numbers of patients who received inpatient PC, the number of hospital beds, diagnosis of disease, duration of hospitalisation, the first three symptoms as the cause of hospitalisation, opioid use, place of discharge and mortality rates were evaluated.
Results
A total of 48,953 patients received inpatient PC support in 199 PC centres with 2,429 beds over a 26-month period. The most frequent diagnosis for hospitalisation was cancer (35%), and the most common symptom was pain (25%). Opioids were used in 26.7% of patients.
Conclusion
Steps should be taken for PC training and providing continuity through organisations outside the hospital and home care.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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