title: Home care management of patients affected by hematologic malignancies: a review.
abstract: Home care (HC) has an increasingly expanding role in the global management of patients affected by hematologic malignancies. Integrated strategies, including causal-targeted and supportive treatments according to hematologic expertise and a holistic approach inspired by the philosophy and practice of palliative medicine, may allow suitable management and the possibility for most patients to stay at home. Physical, social and psychological needs of patients are likely to vary according to the course of their disease and the treatments they are receiving. Therefore, consideration should be given to different models of care and how to tackle patients' diverse needs, as outlined by reported experiences which claimed that HC can provide appropriate solutions not only for terminally and chronically ill patients but also for those in other phases of disease. According to these studies and to our own experience, when appropriate measures and structured operating models are adopted, HC results in a safe, effective and economically realistic alternative to traditional in-hospital treatment. Therefore, all efforts should be made to overcome budget and administrative barriers and to ensure a more widespread use of this model of care.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Division, Tor Vergata University, Sant'Eugenio Hospital, Via dell'Umanesimo 10, 00144 Rome, Italy. pasquale.niscola@uniroma2.it
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Niscola
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Fabritiis
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cartoni
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romani
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dentamaro
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piccioni
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scaramucci
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amadori
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mandelli
mesh_terms: D019468:Disease Management; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods