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AN OVERVIEW OF PALLIATIVE CARE SERVICES IN TURKEY

CANDAN KENDIR COPURLAR 1 ; HUSEYIN CAN 2 ; TUGBA ONAT 1 ; YUSUF CEM KAPLAN 3
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Introduction and Objective: The World Health Organization describes palliative care as "an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering". Palliative care has becomed an important health topic in Turkey after supports of Ministry of Health. Aim of this paper is to give information about palliative care services in Turkey. Results: If we talk about the structure of palliative care in Turkey; first, GPs/FPs and home health services evaluate the patients. If they find the patient appropriate, they refer the patient to an upper health care service. There are three levels; Palliative Care Unit (PCU), Palliative Care Center (PCC) and Comprehensive Palliative Care Center (CPCC) and hospises. In Turkey, there are totally 62 centers; 7 centers in Izmir, 4 in Ä°stanbul and 51 in other cities. Conclusion: Palliative care has becomed an important health topic recent years. More attention should be given to these services to increase the quality of life of patients. Our purpose is not adding years to the patients’ life, it is adding life to their years.