End-of-Life Care: medical and therapeutic aspects

According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, 424635 patients died in hospitals across Germany in 2020. That is 43% of all deaths. Deaths occur everywhere in hospitals - not just in palliative care units - and caring for the dying is considered a basic task of medical practice 1 . The German Medical Association has published principles for end-of-life care and the S3 guideline on palliative medicine also provides instructions on what end-of-life care should look like. However, there is often uncertainty as to what the care of the dying should look like in concrete terms. The following explanations are intended to convey how ideal end-of-life care should be designed and provide concrete assistance and suggestions as to how this can also succeed outside a palliative care unit.