The Future Of Palliative Care: Covid-19 Pandemic Process And A Brief Overview On Telemedicine/Telehealth Applications

Abstract

Due to the prolonged life expectancy worldwide, the number of individuals in need of home care and palliative care is increasing. In the process of palliative care, the needs of patients and caregivers that affect the quality of life and can contribute to daily life activities should be identified. The COVID-19 pandemic, which is spreading rapidly all over the world, and the changes it has made to social life have affected individuals with chronic diseases and/or long-term care patients. The needs and service demands of palliative care patients and their families may vary during their processes. The epidemic increases the demand for health services in society and has a compelling effect on health systems. In this case, remote access auxiliary support services may be raised in order to carry out medical care monitoring of patients. Although tele-medicial/tele-health applications are not a substitute for a face-to-face meeting between physician and patient in terms of medical service delivery, interest in these applications is increasing day by day to protect vulnerable patient groups from the risk of transmission and to ensure the continuity of care services. In this review, the discussion of the changing care needs of patients in need of palliative care and home care during the pandemic process and the use of new tools to meet health demands in a way that includes less risk will be reviewed. © 2021 Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University. All rights reserved.