Palliative care of end-stage renal disease in Taiwan

Palliative care is a comprehensive and professional medical service aimed at providing holistic health care to patients with terminal conditions, the objective of which is to improve the quality of end-of-life care. In Taiwan, the quality of life of patients is often disregarded under the influence of cultural factors and a lack of medical knowledge; in particular, when patient survival is extended, preparation for death is subsequently neglected, which often ultimately results in lower quality of death in the face of rapid pathological changes. This study reviewed the literature to investigate current developments in palliative care in ESRD to achieve the following purposes: Develop adequate strategies for resolving long-term challenges posed by ESRD in palliative care provision; and Explore current developments in palliative care services for ESRD. The analysis of current literature revealed medical institutions and governments worldwide have gradually highlighted palliative care as a core item in clinical care. Although a positive trend has been identified in the acceptance of palliative care over recent years, the patient acceptance of palliative care was evidently lower for ESRD than for cancer. With gradual advancements in medicine, meeting patient needs and improving their outlook have been similarly emphasized in addition to the service quality of clinical care. Furthermore, policymakers should avoid referring to specific cases of patients to reduce the possibility of misunderstanding and causing patients and their families to feel anxious toward palliative care. Finally, medical institutions are suggested to duly regard patients' right to information and strive to assist in ensuring that palliative care for ESRD is positively received by the public.