The Department of Oncology of the Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine have had an important discussion of the proposals on the criteria for defining of a palliative oncological patient, initiated and held under the patronage of the People's Deputy of Ukraine, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Prevention and Control of Cancer Diseases Valery Zub.
The discussion was attended by the Head of the Department of Oncology Prof. Prokip Hordiychuk, staff of the Department of Oncology, Director of the Kyiv City Clinical Oncology Center (KMCOC) Andriy Kondratenko, Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine of the Kyiv City Clinical Oncology Center and postgraduate student of the Department of Oncology Oleksiy Kalachev, as well as staff of the Department of Palliative Medicine. During the week, employees of the Department of Oncology and the Department of Palliative Medicine analyzed in detail the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated November 4, 2024 No. 1853 on changes to the procedure for providing palliative care and the criteria for determining of a patient in need of palliative care, from the point of view of an oncologist providing palliative oncological medical care.
The proposals were presented by Prof. Prokop Gordiychuk and postgraduate student Oleksiy Kalachov, who reviewed each slide of the proposed changes and additions related to the procedure for determining of a palliative oncological patient. Separate aspects of making a joint decision on each of the orders and clinical criteria were discussed. As a result, a consolidated position was adopted on the necessary additions to the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated 04.06.2020 No. 1308 and other regulatory acts, and the importance of further refining of the hospitalization and discharge issues of patients from palliative care departments, revising the “Plan for monitoring of a patient in need of palliative care” and other criteria, in particular, introducing the parameter “decay of locally advanced tumor formation”.
The need to revise the patient assessment scales was also emphasized, in particular, increasing the PPS score to 40%, which meets the criteria of the ECOG scales and the Karnowski Index, and abandoning the use of the Barthel Index as unsuitable for incurable cancer patients. The goal of the proposed changes is to ensure accessible, high-quality and effective palliative cancer care, which will help to improve the quality of life of patients in the late stages of cancer, providing the necessary support and comfort during this difficult period.
