Research of the Palliative Care Development in the Altai Region

Studying of palliative care became especially urgent in the Russian Federation in connection with the acceptance of Federal Law #323 (November, 21st, 2011) «About the Bases of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian... [ view full abstract ]

Studying of palliative care became especially urgent in the Russian Federation in connection with the acceptance of Federal Law #323 (November, 21st, 2011) «About the Bases of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation» where the definition of palliative care is first made.
In 2014 the experts of the public health services of the Altai region gave us the interviews. The main goal of the survey was the studying of problems of palliative care development in the region. In the Altai territory death rate because of oncological diseases takes the second place among all reasons of population deaths.
Difficulties of understanding of palliative care concept by experts, complexities of the palliative care development in the region have been revealed as a result of the research.
Experts estimate the need of palliative care in the region as high. In the experts’ opinion, this need is so high that the 120 beds hospice which would be set up according to the State Program «Public Health Services Development in the Altay territory till 2020» would not solve a problem and help all being in need. Thus hospice care is considered by experts as the most appropriate form of palliative care as great number of patients being in need of anesthetics. By the moment there is no hospice in the region.
Experts also picked up such form as creation of specialized beds of palliative care on the basis of medical services. However, it demands additional resources the medical services do not have at present. Among the main problems experts allocate: absence of experts of palliative care and space for setting up of specialized beds of palliative care in hospitals.
Also there is a need of exit help service as many patients would like to spend the last days of lives at home.