To meet the needs of palliative care patients who wish to remain at home, the palliative care department at the CHU de Poitiers has established a dedicated structure: a day hospital. Opened in June, it allows patients to receive half-day care before returning to their homes, while managing symptoms related to their illness such as pain, psychological difficulties, loss of appetite, fatigue, or sleep disturbances.
Located in the left wing of the Joseph-Garnier pavilion on the Milétrie site, this new day hospital aims to extend patients' autonomy and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations through early detection of complications. "This new care offering allows patients to receive tailored support for half a day, and then return home," explains Dr. Mathilde Nicolas-Raynaud, head of the palliative care department.
The care provided is comprehensive and multidisciplinary, involving doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, physiotherapists, social workers, psychologists, and dietitians. Each patient receives personalized welcome and a complete assessment.
Patients are welcomed two days a week for sessions lasting approximately three hours. The coordinating nurse organizes each visit to adapt the session to the patient's needs. Upon arrival, the patient is greeted by a nurse-nursing assistant team who take vital signs and identify immediate needs. A multidisciplinary assessment then follows, combining a medical review—monitoring pain, symptoms, and treatments—and targeted consultations with specialists such as physiotherapists, dietitians, and psychologists.
"The objective is to adjust treatments, anticipate complications, and improve daily quality of life," emphasizes Dr. Camille Desforges, a palliative care physician on the multidisciplinary team. The three-hour format allows for more sensitive topics, like end-of-life care or disease progression, to be addressed more calmly, and provides practical advice for technical aids and home adaptations.
This new service offers a reassuring environment for patients and allows caregivers to better understand patients' evolving wishes and adjust interventions accordingly. It is part of a graduated offering of palliative care at the CHU de Poitiers, complementing specialized consultations and the mobile palliative care team for home visits.
