Highlights of the 4th San Salvatore Meeting on Palliative Care, Lugano and St. Gallen, Switzerland, 23–25 October 2001

Abstract

Palliative care concepts are becoming more and more relevant in the management of patients with advanced, incurable diseases, and even in the management of disease-related symptoms in potentially curable patients. The main aim of palliative care is to improve or at least to maintain the quality of life for both patient and family. In this context our meeting tried to focus on the real needs of patients by offering an overview of practical situations and problems in patients' own homes (bus round of home visits) and on theoretical knowledge (seminars and updating sessions with specialists in this field). The opportunity to analyze and to discuss each particular clinical case according to current knowledge and evidence in a small and competent group was of major interest and perceived as didactically efficacious.