Chapter 3. Palliative care and healthcare policies in Europe

Abstract

Urbanisation and access to more efficient medical care have radically transformed the process of death in the industrialised countries: today we die in hospital. It would be a mistake to believe that patients at the end of their life do not need specific care because hospital, healthcare professionals and family were not prepared for this radical change. The organisation of a system of palliative care proves, on the contrary, to be a necessity to respond to physical and psychological pain and give some meaning back to the patient-carer relationship.