Hospice Service Widely Available at Community-based Medical Facilities

Since it was launched in 1988, hospice service is widely available in Shanghai, with 261 city-, district-, and community-level medical facilities now offering it in line with international standards and quality, according to officials from the Shanghai Health Commission.

To make it convenient for local residents and better meet the demand of terminal patients and their families, 246 community health centers provide the service at patients' homes and hospitalization departments.

Various therapies like medication, music therapy, mental guidance, and aromatherapy are adopted into hospice care to provide comfort and respect to patients and support for their families. The service is offered by doctors, nurses, social workers, and volunteers.

Hospice care is not only a part of medical treatment in the city but also a brand to reflect Shanghai's international standard, medical capability and human-centered care, health officials said.

Some hospitals have become role models in hospice service in the city as well as the nation and have established cooperation and communication with overseas professional facilities.

Liqun Hospital in Putuo District is the city's first district-level hospital to open a hospice care center, which has 72 beds as well as offers direction to 12 community health centers in the district to carry out hospitalized hospice, children's hospice, and daytime hospice care.

The Putuo District Hospice Care Center has now become one of five trial centers of hospice service in the nation to explore innovative therapies, novel service models and new payment means.

Officials from the Yuyuan Neighborhood Health Center in Huangpu District said they have built a close relationship with hospice facilities and experts in Hong Kong and Singapore, which have more experience and capability in the field, and have carried out communication and training courses to improve local hospice ability and resources.