Hong Kong's high life expectancy is juxtaposed with its relatively low ranking in the quality of death index. While recent improvements have been made, Hong Kong still lags behind neighbouring regions such as Taiwan and Singapore in terms of home deaths and legislation on advance medical directives (AMDs). Efforts are underway to address these challenges through the submission of legislative framework for advance decision on life-sustaining treatment and relevant amendments related to ADMs and dying in place.
However, significant hurdles remain, including inadequate community care support, caregiver burden, environmental and financial concerns, and an increasing demand for palliative care home service. In this talk, we will explore the critical role of medical social collaboration in facilitating end-of-life care in HK. We will discuss models of collaboration and various options of EOL care in the community.
Moreover, we will highlight the positive impact of a regional palliative care unit that leverages medical social collaboration to assist terminal patients in their final stages of life. By showcasing successful examples, this talk aims to inspire and encourage healthcare professionals, social workers, and policy makers to prioritize and strengthen medical social collaboration in order to enhance EOL care in Hong Kong.
