Travel date: July 27, 2017
Name of Meeting/Event/Activity: Asia Pacific Hospice Conference
Origin: Manila, Philippines / Destination: Suntec City, Singapore
This conference helped me acquire new updates and knowledge on Hospice and Palliative Care in our region. These current updates will help improve the quality of care that I will render to my palliative patients in my country. This conference is also helpful in developing network and develop new friendship with other palliative care providers for future continuing education activities.
By utilizing new knowledge and skills in the improvement of our quality of care to patients especially in our community based programs and home care programs. Seeing also the different practices in the a different setting or country will help me compare and assess further needs in our country to improve our service and facilities.
The IAHPC Traveling Scholarship is a great help and opportunity for us to participate in this great event. As to my experience, IAHPC has greatly and efficiently extended their assistance to me and my other colleagues prior and during the event. I hope that IAHPC enroll more scholars on the next conferences.
Problems: 1) Scarcity of palliative care providers and specialists in the Philippines, 2) Less access to palliative care service in both private and public hospitals, 3) Stigma ad fear to opioids, 4) Poor knowledge and perceptions of doctors, nurses regarding palliative care, 5) Palliative care service not covered my Philhealth insurance How to overcome barriers: 1) Open more training programs on palliative care, 2) Conduct research studies on knowledge of providers to assess further needs, 3) Lobby coverage of palliative care in the insurance (Philhealth)