Improving Care for the End of Life: A Sourcebook for Health Care Managers and Clinicians - Hardcover

"This is an excellent resource and should be required reading for anyone in palliative care who is interested in improving any aspect of the care they give to patients and their families. Which should be everyone exept those who already run a perfect service. It is well written and immensely practical. Reading it leaves you feeling motivated to get out there and do something - this week! Highly recommended." (Roger Woodruff, Director of Palliative Care, Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Melbourne, Australia)

In a time when the nation's health care system is still unrefined, dying persons and their families are forced to confront numerous problems; among the worst are huge medical bills, isolation, fear, and little to no coordination among the services and care provided. As more and more people suffer from chronic illnesses that prolong the dying process, the need for an effective code of treatment for terminally ill and dying patients grows substantially. This sourcebook attempts to fill that need. It provides professionals who care for dying persons an extensive yet user-friendly guide on how to render the best possible treatment. It is complete with bar graphs, pie charts, an annotated bibliography, and lists of other resources. Overview chapters focus on the epidemiology of dying, patterns of treatment and service, the experience of dying persons, family roles, health care systems, and financing. Other chapters discuss dying of specific diseases, socio-cultural factors that influence how we die, and differences in dying by age. Care for the Dying concludes with an important discussion of future directions and a useful appendix that includes methods for measuring quality in health care. Undoubtedly, this book is a necessity for all who pursue the best care possible for people in their last stages of life.