There is an increase in demand for Palliative care for treatment of chronic diseases reports various studies from Annual Survey of Hospitals, which has been reported in the Journal of Palliative Medicine. Palliative care is given to patients where chemotherapy or other treatments no more works, it is mostly a symptomatic treatment given to patients to lessen their suffering. It is found that there is a rapid increase in demand for palliative care.
Palliative care programs provide quality, efficient and cost-effective care focused directly on our sickest and most complex patients. Hospitals recognize that the cost of not providing this type of care is just too high.Researchers from Mount Sinai Medical Center and the American Hospital Association (AHA) report that the number of palliative care programs increased from 632 (15% of hospitals) in 2000 to 1,027 (25% of hospitals) in 2003 - a 63% increase in only three years. The report found that there is a yearly increase in demand for palliative care to chronic sufferers to improve the quality of life.
Source: Eurekalert.
