Study Data from University of Pecs Update Understanding of Palliative and Supportive Care (Hospice Palliative Care Development in Hungary)

Pain & Central Nervous System Week

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Pain & Central Nervous System Week -- A new study on Palliative and Supportive Care is now available. According to news reporting originating from Pecs, Hungary, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "During the past 25 years, many developmental steps have occurred in Hungary in palliative care. Further education and service development is needed to provide a quality palliative care for all the Hungarian people."

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of Pecs, "Hungary has a universal health care system with a developed infrastructure. The first Hungarian hospice team started in 1991. At that time, the concept of hospice care was unknown. Symptom control and psychosocial support for the dying patient was inadequate. The regulatory framework was based on the 1997 Health Care Act which was followed by significant palliative care legislation including documents on the legal requirements for palliative care (2004). National guidelines were developed in 2002. Home and inpatient hospice care are reimbursed by the National Insurance Fund. Patients and families pay nothing. The multidisciplinary team provides care for patients and families and hospice home care is widely available across the country. Inpatient units are still lacking in Hungary. Strong opioids are readily available in the country and can be prescribed for cancer and noncancer patients. Palliative care is taught in medical and nursing undergraduate and postgraduate education."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "From 2014, physicians in Hungary can take a one-year course to qualify for a license in palliative medicine."

For more information on this research see: Hospice Palliative Care Development in Hungary. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2018;55(2):S30-S35. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Inc, 360 Park Ave South, New York, NY 10010-1710, USA. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Journal of Pain and Symptom Management - www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-pain-and-symptom-management/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting A. Csikos, Pecs Univ, Medical Sch, Dept. of Hosp Palliat Care, Pecs, Hungary. Additional authors for this research include C. Busa and K. Muszbek (see also Palliative and Supportive Care).

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.03.034. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

Keywords for this news article include: Pecs, Hungary, Europe, Palliative and Supportive Care, Health and Medicine, Terminal Care, Hospice Care, University of Pecs.