Public Health acting Secretary Lynn Tenorio, in an interview on Thursday, said the Commonwealth Health Center has no hospice care program.
Last week’s conference on palliative and hospice care was held to discuss the very important role it plays in the health care system, Tenorio said.
Palliative care is a kind of medical attention that aims to alleviate symptoms and “improve the quality of life” for patients with chronic diseases and their loved ones.
Hospice care is a form of palliative care given to terminally ill patients with less than six months to live.
The most common types of patients receiving palliative and hospice are those in the advance stage of cancer.
Because the nature of this topic is “so sensitive,” the discussions on establishing palliative/hospice care system require the involvement of professionals and community groups, Tenorio said.
Palliative/hospice care deals not only with physical conditions but also with psycho-social and spiritual aspects of the patients and their loved ones, she added.
Ensuring the most convenient way for patients to get access to pain medications is a vital part of palliative/hospice care, she said.
Tenorio said they want to see a “holistic approach” that involves individuals whose professions bring relief to physical and emotional pain.
On Friday, a faith-based group is set to meet to discuss the creation of a palliative/hospice care system in the CNMI.
According to Tenorio, palliative/hospice care is also about respecting the patients’ last wishes.
This includes the “Do Not Resuscitate,” or DNR, form, which is an advanced request from a patient who is still in his right mind to limit the scope of emergency medical care, Tenorio said.
The patient can request in advance that no medical procedure will be instituted once his heart stops beating or he stops breathing.
