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每日近3万人面临生命终点,中国安宁疗护寻求全民破局
Bei Jing Shang Bao·2025-11-02 14:41

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the urgent need for improved palliative care in China, highlighting that nearly 30,000 people die daily, which underscores the importance of making "good death" a public concern and accessible service for all [3][8]. Group 1: Current State of Palliative Care - Palliative care, also known as end-of-life care, aims to provide comfort and support to patients in the terminal stages of illness, focusing on symptom control and emotional support for both patients and families [4][5]. - The World Health Organization's principles of palliative care stress the importance of recognizing death as a normal process and providing relief from pain and discomfort without hastening or delaying death [5]. Group 2: Policy and Regulatory Framework - The Chinese government has initiated policies to promote palliative care, including the inclusion of palliative care centers in the medical institution directory, which marks a significant step in legal support for the industry [6][9]. - The "Healthy China" initiative has laid the groundwork for palliative care development, with specific guidelines and standards established for palliative care centers since 2017 [6][9]. Group 3: Challenges and Obstacles - Despite policy support, the quality of end-of-life care in China remains low, with issues such as inadequate pain management and lack of psychological support being prevalent [7][9]. - Payment mechanisms pose a significant challenge, as current reimbursement systems may not adequately cover palliative care services, affecting accessibility and sustainability [9][10]. Group 4: Future Directions and Opportunities - The recent national planning documents emphasize the need to enhance the care system for elderly individuals, including expanding palliative care services [11][12]. - The integration of palliative care into public health strategies is deemed necessary to address the growing demand due to an aging population and to fulfill ethical responsibilities [13]. Group 5: Company Initiatives - TaiKang has established a comprehensive palliative care model, providing multidisciplinary services across 10 facilities in 9 cities, with plans to expand to 15 facilities and increase bed capacity to nearly 150 by next year [14]. - The company focuses on a four-in-one model of palliative care, which includes comfort care, humanistic care, and grief therapy, with dedicated staff for each aspect, contrasting with the reliance on volunteers in many hospitals [14].