Increasing Access to Palliative Care: A Commitment to Compassionate Care in Catholic Health Ministries

In the face of an aging population and increasing health care complexities, the Catholic Health Association (CHA) reaffirms its commitment to compassionate care that honors the sanctity of life and the inherent dignity of every individual. Providing holistic care to all persons, especially to persons in pain and who are dying, has been a hallmark of Catholic health care and follows the example of Jesus by caring for people in great need. Palliative care is vital to this mission, addressing the multifaceted needs of patients facing serious illness.

Palliative care is a specialized approach aimed at relieving the symptoms, pain, and stress associated with serious illnesses, regardless of the stage of the disease. It is provided by an interdisciplinary team of palliative care-trained specialists, including a physician, nurse, social worker, chaplain, and other care specialists, who collaborate with a patient's physician to provide an extra layer of support and care coordination. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and any stage in a serious illness along with life-prolonging and curative treatment.

High-quality palliative care is an essential component of serious illness management that not only improves the quality of life for patients but also provides long-term benefits for families and health care systems. One of the benefits of palliative care is a better alignment of patient goals of care and health care resources resulting in reduced emergency room visits, less time in the hospital, and unnecessary intensive care services. By using an integrated approach to prevent symptom crises and deliver care that matches patient and family needs and priorities, palliative care reduces the strain on health care resources.

Raising Awareness and Overcoming Barriers
CHA offers helpful resources to better understand the benefits of palliative care and the distinctions between palliative and hospice care. Despite the critical role palliative care plays in patient-centered health care, several barriers remain:

1. Interdisciplinary Teams: There is an urgent need to increase the availability of interdisciplinary palliative care teams. The current lack of staff with specialized training limits access to services.
2. Trained Specialists: The shortage of palliative care-trained specialists limits the ability of the health care systems to deliver the comprehensive support that palliative care entails.
3. Research Funding: Insufficient funding for research into palliative care practices is limiting the knowledge base to support advancements in palliative care clinical care. Without a robust base of evidence-based practices, it is difficult for the field to adapt and meet the evolving needs of patients.
4. Awareness and Understanding: There is a lack of awareness and understanding among both the public and health care providers about palliative care and its benefits. It is essential to emphasize its role supporting patients with serious illness alongside curative therapies.

The Bipartisan Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA)
CHA is actively advocating for PCHETA, recognizing its potential to address these challenges and strengthen palliative care services across healthcare systems. PCHETA seeks to increase availability and improve access for palliative care services with a focus on these key initiatives:

• Establish training programs for health care professionals in palliative and hospice care to ensure they have the skills needed to provide high-quality care.
• Allocate funding for medical schools and teaching hospitals for palliative care clinical training.
• Support workforce development with nursing grants for specialized training and provide academic career awards to promote career development in palliative and hospice care.
• Expand national research programs focused on palliative care, to advance clinical practice to improve care delivery for patients with serious illness.
• Create a public education and awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of palliative care, encouraging patients and families to connect with these services.

As we work to increase access to palliative care services, we encourage both policymakers and the public to support PCHETA. For more information on how to advocate for compassionate palliative care, please visit our palliative care issue brief.

CHA and Member Highlights:
Fr Charles Vavonese, a retired Catholic priest, and Dr. Paul Fiacco, a primary care physician focused on palliative care, created Project Compassion while working at St. Joseph's Health, a member of Trinity Health. They worked on the project in collaboration with the St. Joseph's Health Foundation and received a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. The website provides resources and guidance for end-of-life care planning to inform patients and their families about palliative care options for the management of serious illness. By fostering discussions about values and preferences, Project Compassion seeks to enhance the quality of life for patients and their loved ones during challenging times with compassionate support.

The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOL) highlights the urgent need for integrated palliative care in response to an aging population in America. They are focused on showing the benefits of providing comprehensive support that encompasses all the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of older adults facing serious illnesses. Their work emphasizes the necessity of training health care providers in palliative care principles to ensure that patients receive holistic and coordinated care across various settings. FMOL's initiatives demonstrate a commitment to enhancing access to palliative care services, significantly improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Overall, there is an ever-growing need for a systemic approach to integrate palliative care into the broader health care framework for aging individuals.

Ongoing CHA efforts emphasize the growing importance of palliative care for aging populations, particularly for the complex needs of patients with serious illnesses. A recent CHA webinar highlights that nearly 70% of people who die in the U.S. have a chronic condition, underscoring the need for comprehensive support that focuses on whole-person care. The webinar also highlights the need for a more integrated approach that combines palliative care with curative treatment, the need for increased specialized training for healthcare providers, and for policy changes to enhance access by embedding palliative care into the broader health care system to effectively serve aging individuals.

The Catholic health ministry's dedication to high-quality palliative care remains unwavering. By strengthening our commitment to person-centered care, we can ensure that everyone receives the compassionate support they need during life's most challenging moments. Our view on the sanctity of life is based on the conviction that every individual life is created by God and in the image of God. Together, let us advocate for a health care system that honors the dignity of every individual and embraces the principles of love and compassion inherent in our mission.

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