Building bridges: Palliative care beyond borders

Abstract

Globalization allows patients, including those with a life-limiting disease, such as cancer, to seek medical advice and second opinions beyond their own countries’ borders, in search for available curative treatments. The increased travel opportunities and a broader access to communication technologies foster patients’ mobility, even in a palliative care setting. Our patient travelled all the way to Europe from Mongolia to seek a second opinion on available treatments for her relapsing end-stage cervical cancer. Best supportive care, as proposed by the Mongolian colleagues was confirmed after a chemotherapeutic trial, leading to the patient's request for a rapid repatriation. The purpose of the following case report is to identify the various factors which may facilitate the care of patients with end-stage disease travelling from foreign countries and to highlight the complexity of a repatriation process for palliative care recipients.

Keywords:

• Globalization
• Repatriation
• Life-limiting illness
• Cultural mediators
• International Organization for Migration