Bomba Patricia A
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Rochester, NY, USA.
Case Manager. 2005 Jan-Feb;16(1):48-52; quiz 53. doi: 10.1016/j.casemgr.2004.11.005.
The end of life has changed dramatically in recent years as life expectancies have increased, chronic disease rates have risen, and families, health care systems, and society have changed. As technology has advanced, death too often has become viewed by society as "failure" and even "optional." Too often, referral to hospice has come too late to be sufficiently effective. While expertise in palliation of pain and symptoms at the end of life has been developed, palliative care has not been well integrated with management of chronic diseases or incorporated into the continuum of medical management from health and wellness to the end of life. We can, and must, do better.
近年来，随着预期寿命的增加、慢性病发病率的上升以及家庭、医疗保健系统和社会的变化，生命的终结发生了巨大变化。随着技术的进步，死亡常常被社会视为“失败”甚至“可选择的”。转诊至临终关怀机构往往为时已晚，无法充分发挥作用。虽然在生命末期疼痛和症状的缓解方面已经积累了专业知识，但姑息治疗尚未与慢性病管理很好地整合，也未纳入从健康到生命终结的连续医疗管理中。我们能够而且必须做得更好。
