title: [Palliative care team support services by the hospital for home palliation].
abstract: At Osaka National Hospital, we opened a palliative care team (PCT) since July 2004. The PCT advises the symptom management of cancer patients and supports patients' decision making. By March 2006, 355 consecutive cancer patients referred to the PCT, including 221 patients with psychiatric symptoms. The duration of the treatments for psychiatric symptoms were extended longer than for physical symptoms (physical symptoms: 47.7 days, depression: 60.4, delirium: 56.0, adjustment disorders: 57.4; p < 0.05). The reasons for this prolongation are that psychiatric symptoms (especially delirium) are often overlooked, and that home doctors and visiting nurses often hesitate to take on the home medical care because of unfamiliarity with them. The management of psychiatric symptoms at home is important for appropriate end-of-life care. The PCT and regional doctors have to work closely in cooperating with the successive palliation when the patient is transformed to home medical care.
authors.affiliation: Palliative Care Team, Dept. of Neuropsychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital.
authors.forename: Asao
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Tomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Todaka
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: Kazuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Haruna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makiyama
authors.forename: Hideto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirotsune
authors.forename: Toshimasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsujinaka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000451:nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011788:Quality of Life