Abstract
There has been an increase in the necessity of home healthcare, and it has become increasingly important to provide home healthcare for patients living in the community. We have been exerting efforts to improve practice implemented by pharmacists to provide higher-quality home healthcare. The present paper introduces two clinical cases in which the quality of life (QOL) of terminal cancer patients was improved in order to discuss systems for comprehensive home healthcare. Case 1 was a woman in her 70s diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. Her symptoms of pain and restlessness worsened in stages. Multidisciplinary care was provided, including prompt opioid switching and drug administration, and the symptoms improved. The family of the patient also evaluated the treatment positively at the completion of home healthcare. Case 2 was a woman in her 50s diagnosed with stomach cancer. The patient had continuing intractable nausea. A pharmacist advised her to take drugs and monitored the adverse effects, and the symptoms improved. On Day 179 of home care, the patient died at home, the place chosen by both the patient and her family, after receiving appropriate and continuing care for sedation provided by a multidisciplinary team. A system established in accordance with the “functions required for pharmacies and their desired form” will be able to respond to a variety of home healthcare needs, and provide care services that will be positively evaluated by patients, their families, and other healthcare professionals.
