ABSTRACT
Transitions between care settings are common in the last weeks of life, particularly between the home and hospital. This chapter explores patient journeys using the model of integrated palliative care: content of care, patient flow, information logistics, and availability of resources. It emphasises the importance of good communication and effective targeting of resources. Institutions such as hospitals operate with an acute care or “rescue” ideology that emphasises medical interventions and may make it more difficult to manage dying as a natural process. Services need to be configured in ways that respond to the changing needs of the dying patient. The chapter explores recent innovative projects that aim to simplify and streamline the patient journey.
