Clinical Experiences with Prevention Measures for Providing Home Palliative Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

<p>新冠肺炎(coronavirus disease, COVID-19)自2020年開始蔓延全球，各國安寧居家照護工作也大受影響，台灣在2021年5月面臨本土疫情爆發，從事安寧居家照護的團隊人員亦面臨居家訪視過程中感染COVID-19之風險。本文為臺北市某區域醫院，長期致力於安寧療護服務，秉持社區醫療照護之責，疫情嚴峻期間仍竭盡所能持續提供安寧居家照護服務，因應疫情變化進行滾動式修正之防疫應變作為，以建立高品質之健康監測與管理。從訪視前風險評估、訪視時的防護措施及訪視後設備清消為第一線醫護專業人員把關，並運用視訊、影像傳輸等科技以促進醫病溝通即時處置，提供個案及家屬專業照護指導，讓個案在家屬陪伴下，安心在宅善終，期望藉此經驗分享，提供從事安寧居家照護醫護團隊人員，執行居家訪視照護之防疫處置參考。</p> <p> </p><p>The COVID-19 outbreak since 2020 has affected the palliative care services in several countries. With the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic reaching its peak in May 2021 in Taiwan, members of home-based palliative care teams were facing an enhanced risk of contracting COVID-19 during home visits. This article focused on examining how a regional hospital practiced and modified related epidemic prevention measures on a rolling-basis to continue its home-based palliative care services with quality health monitoring and management. Proper training, pre-visit risk assessment, prevention measures and equipment during visit, and post-visit equipment sterilization were implemented in compliance with strict protocols to protect the safety of frontline health workers. When appropriate, audio-video transmission and other technologies were used to expedite timely medical communication and to provide patients and their families with professional guidance concerning hospice care at home. By sharing these experiences, we hope to offer insights beneficial in practicing effective prevention measures for frontline providers of home-based palliative care during an epidemic.</p> <p> </p>