Four years of experience of the Unit of Palliative Medicine of the El Sabinal Hospital (Las Palmas)

Abstract

The health care activity carried out in the Unit of Palliative Medicine of the El Sabinal Hospital in North Las Palmas over a four year period (from 1 May 1989 on creation of the Unit to 31 April 1993) is described. Over this period 1726 patients of whom 1313 have died were attended with 413 patients currently included in the program. A program of home care has been developed over the last two years in collaboration with the Spanish Cancer Association with 535 patients having been cared for at home, half of whom (49.68%) having been able to die in their own home. Those who died in the hospital were only admitted during the last hours of life (77.16% less than 72 hours). The mean hospital stay of the patients ranged trom 7.35 days in 1990 to 3.8 days in the beginning of 1993 representing a more rational use of resources. In only one year 5000 stays were discharged thus enabling the care of 375 more acute patients. Home care together with symptom control (the consumption of morphine has multiplied by 105), family support and permanent telephone service also led to patients not having to go to the emergency department. Over these four years the number of emergencies received has decreased by 18498 (23.78%). The general organizative scheme is reported with the form which the structures of the authors' work are based being described.