Effective integration of hospice palliative care into national oncology and general practice

Abstract

Introduction: Hospice movement began in Hungary in 1991, today home care and impatient care is accessable na-tionwide. However, despite the growing number of patients receving palliative care, according to the survey of the Hungarian Hospice Palliative Association, the average time they have spent receiving home hospice care was only 26,7 days in 2020, when the ideal would be 8,5 months. It has been proven by studies, that involving hospice -palli-ative care early on in the treatment of oncology patients has benefits for both the quality of life and treatment and cost-effectiveness. To make this possible, we have to make certain ways of health care which lead the patients in need to specialised palliative care. Objective and method: In this statement, we introduce two forms of treatment which have proven that the early inte-gration of palliative care is efficiently attainable throughout health care systems in Hungary today.Results: Starting September of 2019, the National Institute of Oncology Palliative Mobil Team has been helping the patients of the Institute receive optimal care through consultation. In the general medicine, general practice partner-ship of Szentendre, two family doctors with palliative licence examination have been organizing trainings for their colleagues in order to show a new approach and help more patients of the region receive palliative care in time. Conclusion: These examples further prove that by accessing the current financial and human resources, through edu-cation and a change of attitude, the improvement of palliative care in Hungary is possible.