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. 2022 Jan 9;10(1):127.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare10010127.

The First Step to Initiate Pediatric Palliative Care: Identify Patient Needs and Cooperation of Medical Staff

Su Hyun Bae  1   2 , Yeo Hyang Kim  1   3
Affiliations

The First Step to Initiate Pediatric Palliative Care: Identify Patient Needs and Cooperation of Medical Staff

Su Hyun Bae et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

Few Korean hospitals had experience in pediatric palliative care. Since the beginning of the national palliative care project, interest in pediatric palliative care has gradually increased, but the establishment of professional palliative care is still inadequate due to a lack of indicators. This study aimed to find considerations in the process of initiating palliative care services. The general and clinical characteristics of 181 patients aged less than 24 years who were registered at the pediatric palliative care center from January 2019 to August 2021 were evaluated. Life-limiting condition group 1 had the largest number of patients. The primary need for palliative care was psychological and emotional support, followed by information sharing and help in communication with the medical staff in decision-making processes. Seventy-two patients were technologically dependent, with one to four technical supports for each patient. The registration of patients with cancer increased with time, and the time from disease diagnosis to consultation for pediatric palliative care service was significantly reduced. In conclusion, before starting pediatric palliative care, it is necessary to understand the needs of patients and their families and to cooperate with medical staff.

Keywords: children; life-limiting condition; palliative care.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pediatric palliative care centers in South Korea. Centers that opened in 2018 (formula image), 2019 (formula image), 2020 (formula image), and 2021 (formula image) are shown. The red arrow indicates the first local pediatric palliative care center.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Patient residential areas and the number of patients. The red star indicates the main city, Daegu, with the first local pediatric palliative care center. The yellow zone indicates nearby areas (Gyeongsangbuk-do). Color severity is associated with the number of patients. Dark-green implies > 20 patients, green > 10, light-green > 5, and yellowish-green < 5. The gray zone indicates other areas where patients reside.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Technical support for patients with medical complexity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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