However, our data does point to areas where improvements could be made. With this in mind, we could look more specifically at the early identification of patients in need of palliative care and the early introduction of such care. This would greatly improve the situation of end-of-life patients and their families. The problem is that the patients' need for palliative care is established only when their curative treatments are finished. Their situation can deteriorate very quickly and it is then too late to implement palliative care in the community.
That's why we see a lot of emergency room visits and hospitalizations. It is very stressful for families and patients, and it is costly for the health care system. So early detection at the time of diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, for example, would be a good start. This would allow for the gradual introduction of palliative care to support patients and their families.
We have also noticed that there is more community support. Our data indicate that few people receive publicly funded palliative home care. Some provinces have launched promising programs to provide paramedical services at home, for example, as Mr. Saulnier said. This reduces unnecessary emergency room visits for patients receiving care at home.
It was also noted that better training could be provided to health care professionals. Three out of five family physicians do not feel they are truly ready, while 80% of them often see patients who need palliative care. This shows that there is still work to be done in educating health professionals.