Barriers in Palliative Care: Means to Integrate it into Health Care Mainstream

Abstract

Although palliative care has significant and positive effects on patients and their families, as it is scientifically proven,, however, it is not a permanent part of health care mainstream. The aim of this systematic literature review was to describe barriers in palliative care that stops it from becoming a permanent component of healthcare mainstream. Method: two electronic data base (Medline, Embase) were searched for potentially relevant records published after 2010. Barriers were categorized, and the means to overcome such barriers were also categorized. 36 studies were searched among them 10 CAT studies that are of high quality and specialized in doctor-patient communication, barriers related to physician attitudes, nursing, policies, technology and heavy case load. Means are categorized to minimize the negative effects of such barriers and the possibility of becoming part of healthcare mainstream.Results revealed the importance of palliative care, and the possibility and opportunity is available to become a component and integral part of medical care main stream.

Keywords: Palliative care, Barriers, healthcare mainstream.