What is Palliative Care?
It is a specialized form of healthcare provided to patients and their caregivers to reduce and alleviate suffering when facing a serious illness.
What Does Palliative Medicine Provide?
- Symptom management, such as pain and shortness of breath.
- Treatment of other medical issues based on the patient's condition.
- Psychological and social support for the patient and their family.
- Emergency hospitalization or hospice admission.
- Consultation services for patients who are still undergoing active treatment.
- Home healthcare.
- Grief and bereavement support for the family after a loss.
What are the Goals of Palliative Medicine?
- Alleviating the patient's physical and psychological suffering and improving their quality of life.
- Helping the patient live with dignity.
- Enabling the patient to remain as independent as possible.
- Providing psychological and social support to the family during the illness and after the patient’s passing.
- Serving the patient through a multidisciplinary team.
Who Receives Palliative Care?
Palliative care is provided to individuals of all ages diagnosed with a serious or life-threatening illness, such as:
- Cancer
- Advanced neurological disorders
- Dementia
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Stroke
- Kidney failure
- Liver failure and cirrhosis
- Chronic heart diseases
- Advanced lung diseases
- Cystic fibrosis
- Bone marrow and blood disorders requiring stem cell transplantation
- HIV/AIDS
Symptoms That Can Be Managed Through Palliative Care:
- Pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Anxiety or nervous tension
- Depression or sadness
- Constipation
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of appetite (Anorexia)
- Fatigue / Exhaustion
- Sleep disorders
The Palliative Medicine Team:
• Family members
• Physicians
• Nurses
• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Health educators
• Social workers
• Clinical nutritionists
• Clinical pharmacists
• Psychologists
• Case managers
Where is Palliative Care Provided?
- Outpatient clinics
- Home healthcare
- Palliative care units
- Hospices
- Virtual clinics
These services are distributed across the Kingdom, particularly in referral hospitals, featuring 21 palliative care units across various health clusters, as well as in select primary healthcare centers and private hospitals.
Core Principles of Palliative Care:
- Respect for the patient
- Patient safety
- Maintaining privacy
- Empathy toward the patient
Goals of the Care Provided:
- Safety at home
- Improving the quality of life
How to Access Palliative Care Services:
- Referral: Via outpatient clinics, hospital emergency departments, or from outside the Kingdom.
- Evaluation: The palliative medicine team assesses the patient's condition.
- Care Plan: A treatment plan is developed under the supervision of consultants, which is then discussed with the patient and their family.
Agreement: Once the plan is agreed upon, the patient and family are given options for the most appropriate setting for this stage, including:
- Returning home with medication and home-based palliative care follow-ups.
- Returning home with medication and palliative care follow-ups at primary healthcare centers.
- Admission to a hospice facility where they can receive the required palliative care.