Tiraporn Junda
Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
Title: What we learnt from Thai palliative care services in central region; palliative care teams’, patients’ and families’ perspectives
Biography
Biography: Tiraporn Junda
Abstract
After Thailand launching the palliative care policy and services to all primaly hospitals in 2015, a follow up study in the central region had been done by the palliative care services satisfaction questionnaire, focus group and in-depth interviews with palliative care teams, patients and family members. Ten palliative care teams self evaluated with over all most satisfaction epecially in topics of “the palliative care team is committed to providing continuous support to patients” and “Palliative care team give patient care with a sense of service as the best service”. However they indicated the shortcoming of staff, not enough settings, and less effective pain management system. Content analysis for all interviews with palliative care teams was revealing their feelings toward palliative care services in four parts; 1) working with heart and need visibility, 2) working need help, knowledge, and understanding, 3) working need teams and mutisectors and 4) working need Expanding networks and close communication. For patients and family members interviewed results found that most of them did not understand much about the word “palliative” or “Pra-kub-pra-kong” so most of their feelings and needs related to patients conditions and some were under physical and emotional stress especialy when they were at home. When the palliative care services was launched can help support both patients and families. Some can connect more network to continuing assisted them at home.
Conclusion, improve palliative care services include integrated palliative care in the long term care service can improve palliative care services. However for better care services need more support in terms of staff who like to work with palliative care; improve knowledge and skills; better understanding of palliative care to others; team work with multidisciplinary professions, multisectors, and communities; and expanding networks. In addition integrated palliative care concept in society is needed for better understanding in general population.
Keywords: Thai palliative care services, palliative care teams’, patients’, and Families’ Perspectives