palliative care

In 2014, I was invited to take on the responsibility of developing palliative care policy. Palliative care is often associated with pain relief in end-of-life situations, but I quickly learned that it encompasses much more. It not only focuses on physical medical care, but also addresses psychological, social (such as family concerns), and spiritual dimensions (including coping with the end of life).

What surprised me most was that palliative care begins much earlier than I had anticipated—at the point when a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness or when they are approaching the end of their life.

I was tasked with establishing a national program to enhance palliative care, with a focus on raising awareness, improving organizational structures, ensuring quality, and promoting patient involvement. As part of this initiative, I launched the national website, which provides valuable information about palliative care.

Our approach was highly collaborative and innovative. We worked together in a dynamic new way, utilizing a ‘practice team’ that included nurses and case managers to address concerns and questions related to the organization and financing of palliative care.

Additionally, I authored several policy letters for the Minister, which were presented to Parliament. The last of these letters was titled “Focus on Palliative Care“ (in Dutch), and it outlined our strategy for strengthening palliative care in the country.