2024 World Hospice and Palliative Care Day Celebration

Event Date:

In Day Oncology Unit and Supportive Care Department of Peking University, the activities related to World Hospice & Palliative Care Day have been held continuously for years. This year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is on October 12th, with the theme of “Ten Years Since the Resolution: How are we doing? “. It’s also an opportunity for us to reflect our past work.
As the first Center of Excellence designated by Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) in China, Day Oncology Unit and Supportive Care Department of Peking University Cancer Hospital have conducted a series of explorations according to the concept of palliative care. Through outpatient visits, participation in patient management of Day Oncology Unit, and in-hospital consultations, as well as providing timely and appropriate supportive care, we have helped some patients with severe symptoms and poor general conditions to improve their symptoms, enabling them to receive anti-cancer treatment. We have also prevented and reduced the side effects of treatment for some patients undergoing anti-cancer treatment, improving their quality of life. We also guided some patients undergoing hospice care to receive medical care in nearby hospitals and communities, ultimately passing away at home peacefully.
In the process of clinical work, we constantly discover the importance of supportive care and means to integrate supportive care into regular anti-cancer treatment in a better way. We have found that many patients require systematic supportive care and sufficient information to help them achieve optimal outcomes, avoiding treatment interruptions, and improving their quality of life. Supportive care may start at any stage of a patient’s treatment, bringing various improvements to the patient’s medical experience. In practice, we have also found that by combining online clinic, out of hospital follow-up app, and WeChat consultation, some patients can follow instructions to receive the most suitable care at home or in local community or nearby hospitals, reducing distant trips to the hospital and economic burden.
On the occasion of the 2024 World Hospice & Palliative Care Day, medical staff from Supportive Care Departments and Day Oncology Unit raise a lecture introducing the concept of palliative care and practical ways of symptoms management to patients and their family members. We also distributed promotional materials on management of symptoms and side effects to patients. By introducing our newly launched on-line follow-up system，encouraging patients to pay attention to symptoms during treatment and seek timely help from medical staff. Many patients and their families have given us positive feedback. Through interaction with patients and their families based on the concept of supportive care, we hope to find the most appropriate way to help patients, so that they can fully express their needs so that we can do better.

Organisation

Peking University Cancer Hospital

Beneficiary