Pediatric palliative home care in Poland (2012)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the current status of pediatric palliative home care in Poland.

Material and methods: The questionnaire-based survey analyzed the annual number of patients, deaths, diagnoses, ages and places of residence. The annual number of treated children per million of inhabitants was calculated.

Results: Case files of 1265 patients (1181 children and 84 young adults with pediatric conditions) were obtained from 45 hospices. The total home care area covers 97% of the population of Poland. The number of children treated per million inhabitants varies notably throughout the different provinces, the highest being in the Małopolski and the lowest in the Lubuski. There are still regions where pediatric palliative home care (PPHC) is not accessible.

Conclusions:

1. Health Policy and National Health Fund NHF should be based on epidemiological studies.

2. PPHC requires a separate regulation of the Minister of Health for the project developed by a team of experts and submitted to the Warsaw Hospice for Children Foundation in 2008 (later amended).

3. PPHC refund by NHF should be based on cost calculations. The NHF refund PPHC in the range of 25-45%. Most hospices (public benefit organization) may not cover other costs incurred 55-75% of revenues 1% tax on individuals.

4. From the analysis of the data presented on the maps indicate that there is a need to create 4 new home hospice for children in Brodnicy, Bytów, Pile and Zielona Gora, and significantly enhance areas of existing hospices in Gorzow Wielkopolski and Toruń.