广东率先发布省级安宁疗护服务项目指南

Core Viewpoint - The Guangdong Provincial Health Commission has issued the "Guidelines for Palliative Care Services," marking the first provincial-level palliative care service guidelines in China, aimed at standardizing and enhancing palliative care practices in the province [1][4]. Group 1: Palliative Care Overview - Palliative care focuses on providing integrated care and humanistic support to terminally ill patients and their families, addressing physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs to improve quality of life and ensure a dignified death [2][3]. - The demand for palliative care in Guangdong is urgent due to its large elderly population, with plans to implement pilot programs across all 21 cities in the province by 2024 [2]. Group 2: Implementation and Standards - The guidelines detail 13 service items, including symptom assessment and life expectancy evaluation, and provide tools and templates to assist frontline staff in delivering standardized palliative care [2][4]. - The guidelines emphasize treating patients as whole individuals, addressing not only physical symptoms but also psychological and emotional needs, and encouraging family involvement in care decisions [3]. Group 3: Future Development and Training - The guidelines aim to achieve county-level coverage of palliative care services, with plans to establish at least one palliative care unit in every county by 2027 [4]. - The provincial health commission will incorporate training on the guidelines into the elderly health service training programs, with specialized palliative care training planned for the following year to enhance staff competencies [4].