Palliative Medicine

Palliative medicine is a specialty that focuses on the care and wellbeing of patients suffering from serious illnesses. Palliative care often accompanies curative treatment and is offered to not only the patient, but also their family and caretakers. It extends beyond the hospital and can also be found in homes, outpatient clinics, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes. While there is no set time on when palliative care is needed, seeking early assistance can help you and your family to advocate for the best comfort and support you need. Palliative medicine has been shown to increase life expectancy, reduces anxiety and depression, and improve patient and caregiver satisfaction. After death, support will also be available to your loved ones to help them deal with bereavement.

First introduced to the country in 1991, palliative medicine has been misunderstood as a voluntary or unnecessary part of patient care and is quite an unknown field. In 2016, Hospis Malaysia reported that a staggering 90% of the population has never heard about palliative care and even though 40% of Malaysians will require it at the end of their lives, only 10% of those received the care that they need. (2) It is also projected that by 2030, the number of people in the country who will require palliative care will rise to about 240,000, with the highest needs being those above the age of 80. (3) With our aging population and longer lifespans, the importance for palliative care is undeniable.

Palliative medicine aims to ease the stress and improve the quality of life of the patient and even though it is often associated with end-of-life hospice care or when there are no other treatment options, palliative care actually benefits people of all ages at any stage of illnesses. It is beneficial for patients of serious or chronic illnesses such as:

1. Cancer
2. Blood and bone marrow disorders
3. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
4. Cystic fibrosis
5. Heart disease
6. Kidney failure
7. Lung disease
8. Liver disease
9. Stroke
10. Dementia
11. Alzheimer’s disease
12. Parkinson’s disease
13. HIV/AIDS

Your palliative care team is equipped to provide support and relief from all aspects. Comprise of a possible team of doctors, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and spiritual advisors, palliative medicine serves to provide physical, psychological, social, and/or emotional support.

Whether in the hospital or at home, our team is equipped to deliver palliative treatments tailored to each patient’s unique circumstances. This approach ensures that all aspects of a patient's well-being are addressed, allowing for the most supportive and compassionate care possible.

Our principle to support palliative patient is to:

• Providing relief from pain and other distressing symptoms to ensure comfort
• Acknowledging the natural process of life and honoring its final stages with dignity
• Focusing care on the quality of life rather than hastening or delaying death
• Supporting patients in living as fully and actively as possible through comprehensive care systems until the end of life