Hospices relieving patients of pain

Yin Qinqin and Tong Wangyue

WORLD Hospice and Palliative Care Day on October 12 had the theme “My Care, My Right.” Jiading has achieved full coverage of hospice care services across all communities and towns.

The palliative and hospice care units mainly serve cancer patients with life expectancy of just three to six months. Hospice and palliative care for these patients focuses on reducing pain so doctors here won’t avoid using pain relievers such as morphine hydrochloride injection. Patients can also refuse treatments that may cause severe pain and secondary trauma.

In consideration of patients embarking on their final journey in life, the Jiading New Town Community Health Service Center (Jianbang campus) has set up a hospice care room, composed of a family room and a ward with microwave ovens, refrigerators and other facilities.

All the information cards at the hospital beds remove the word “cancer” and replace it with English letters in consideration of patients’ feelings.

“There are no tubes on the body and irritating anti-cancer drugs. Medical staff and social workers come to talk with us every day, and the days are not as hopeless as they used to be,” said a 67-year-old patient surnamed Li at Yingyuan Hospital in the district.

By 2020, Shanghai will promote hospice and palliative care services in all community health service centers. The service will be included as a basic item on the city’s community health service list.

Since Jiading launched a hospice in Yingyuan Hospital in 2012, six hospice and palliative care pilot hospitals have been put into use throughout the district with 60 beds. Thirteen community health service centers offer a home-based hospice and palliative care service.

Two more branches in Juyuan New Area and Waigang Town are under construction. Ten hospice beds will be added to the two branches respectively.