The role of the family physician in care of palliative patients

Abstract:

Along with organization of emergency medical services, organization of palliative care is among the most demanding areas of health care. Reasons are numerous, from the need for a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, to patients, their families and caregivers facing a very sensitive period of life. Professional associations’ opinion is that family practitioners with their team members play the main role in the care for the palliative care patients. Only when the capacities of such teams are not sufficient, or when other circumstances occur, another forms of care are included (palliative medicine specialists, acute palliative beds and hospices).With the exception of some regions, there is no accurate statistic data regarding the number of patients suffering from incurable diseases in Croatia. On each level of health care, this makes the organization of palliative care more challenging.

Key words:
family physicians competence; family medicine; health system; palliative care; specialist training