Chapters authored
Bioethics and Palliative Care in Primary Health Care
In order to respect the patient’s right to die at home, with quality and respect, discussions about bioethical problems involving palliative care in the context of primary health care are relevant. Among bioethical problems, communication problems regarding the diagnosis and treatment, the maintenance or discontinuation of futile treatments, the adoption of aggressive and lifelong measures by the emergency mobile service, and the problems involving equal access to care stand out. It is important to emphasize that health systems must incorporate palliative measures in primary care and enable professionals to provide this type of care.
Part of the book: Reflections on Bioethics
Palliative Care Network in Brazil
Brazil is a country with great diversity and distinct realities, so there is a proportional challenge and complexity in offering a unified and integrated system which is accessible, of quality, and effective. Population aging and the increased incidence of chronic-degenerative noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) increase the need for palliative care (PC); however, public policies still need to be implemented so that this care encompasses adequate funding, professional training, and guaranteed medication. The first national policy for PC was recently proposed, providing guidelines for the organization of PC, emphasizing the importance of integration between the different levels of care and services in the Brazilian health system (SUS). Nevertheless, the challenges of this policy include the training of professionals, communication in the network, the absence of integrated health information systems, and effective mechanisms to finance this new modality of care.
Part of the book: Palliative Care