Integrated care at the end –of-life: experiences, models, trends

Abstract

Summary : Palliative care has traditionally been at the forefront in coordinating specialised services with primary care and home care. Health care staff work in interdisciplinary teams, using empathy as the basis for analyzing the needs of patients and their families, from a holistic and integrated perspective. In the context of the new paradigm of people-centred integrated care models, true integrated care in palliative care is linked to two key elements: the coordination of health and social services in end of life care and the involvement of society through awareness and training of community networks. The first requires a change in the organizational model and the second needs a basic refocusing on training of professionals. A number of international experiences are showing the way, proving compassionate social care models which empower families and carers and align professionals and resources to provide high-quality integrated care to end-of-life patients. Which are these? What can we learn from them? What trends can be identified in palliative integrated care?