Anästhesiologie und Palliativmedizin

Abstract

Until 2005 many university palliative care activities had their origins in cancer pain services. These were often integrated into anesthesiology departments. Currently, anesthesiology departments work as an integrative part of palliative medicine. However, it appears from the present results that there is a domination of internal medicine (especially hematology and oncology) in palliative activities in German hospitals. This allows the focus of palliative activities to be formed by subjective specialist interests. Such a state seems to be reduced by the integration of anesthesiology departments because of their neutrality with respect to faculty-specific medical interests. Advantages or disadvantages of these circumstances are not considered by the present investigation.