Pediatric hospice and palliative care in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland

Pediatric hospice and palliative care - the care and support of children, adolescents, and young adults with life-limiting conditions and their families - has developed differently in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. With a coordinated care concept, recommendations for implementation and corresponding training possibilities, Austria has all the basic prerequisites needed to provide adequate care for children, adolescents and young adults with life-limiting conditions, including their families. First mobile and inpatient services already work according to the concept. However, there are still obstacles to full coverage, such as, in particular, an agreement on responsibilities regarding implementation and financing. Hospice Austria, the national umbrella organization of hospice and palliative care institutions, also acts as a competence and coordination center for the specific needs of pediatric patients. In Germany around 180 outpatient and inpatient services are available for children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families. They support children and their families at home or in inpatient facilities. The German Society for Palliative Medicine and the German Hospice and Palliative Association have developed a handbook for specialized mobile palliative care teams for children, young people, and young adults, and for mobile hospice teams. The handbook supports regional implementation and cooperation. In Switzerland, the Paediatric Palliative Care Network CH has created a network, primarily consisting of nurses, with the vision of offering individual, highly professional palliative care in a multiprofessional way. In addition, three children's hospitals offer a specialized palliative and ethical team. The Ostschweizer Kinderspital St. Gallen is the only one to be certified in the field of palliative care (according to Stiftung sanaCERTsuisse).