Caring approach to those in need

"Such care relies on an interprofessional collaborative team to manage the complicated needs of patients and their families, such as pain relief, emotional support and company," Zhang Xinyan, a doctor from Lu's team, says.

Since the country's first hospice care center opened in Tianjin in 1988, hospice care departments have been set up in more than 4,000 medical institutions nationwide, compared to 276 in 2018, according to the National Health Commission.