Barriers to the development of pediatric palliative care in Italy.

Introduction: In recent years the emergence of new types of patient, clinical situations, technological frontiers and "health" objectives have changed considerably the needs of ill children, this also concerns pediatric palliative care (PPC). In Italy, despite the introduction of legislation (Law 38/2010) stipulating the right of children and families to access appropriate services for pain control and pediatric palliative care, the availability of these services is still limited.

Aim: The aim of this study is to highlight, through a review of the existing data and published literature, the critical issues that obstacle the planning and development of PPC services in Italy.

The rights of the dying child and the duties of healthcare providers: the "Trieste Charter".

Purpose: The death of a child is a devastating and tragic event for all those involved. This charter aims to help healthcare workers and people assisting terminally ill children to recognize some important rights of the child, with some related suggestions. We consider it important to have a trace of this process, based on the skillfulness of long-lasting experts.

Outpatient therapeutic chronic opioid consumption in Italy: a one-year survey.

Background: In Italy since the 38/2010 law concerning Palliative Care and pain therapy has been promulgated, the consumption of opioids started increasing. However, despite the availability of a large amount of data regarding opioid prescription, a database including all patients on chronic opioid therapy does not yet exist.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of analgesic opioid consumption was performed between January 2013 and December 2013 using the data of national refunded medications for outpatients, collected by Italian Ministry of Health.

Use of a checklist to improve pain control in hospitalized cancer patients: the 38Checkpain project.

Aim: Checklists may improve management of patients in different settings. However, no studies have been conducted to investigate the use of this tool to improve inpatient pain control. This study, conducted in Italy, aims to describe the experience, in terms of pain control, of the widespread introduction of a checklist for pain control in oncological patients, according to current Italian legislation.

Narrative medicine to highlight values of Italian pain therapists in a changing healthcare system.

Until 2010 pain management in Italy was only partially covered and no structural and qualitative mapping had ever been realized. The VEDUTA project was designed to provide a tool to unite pain therapists in national cooperation. Quantitative questionnaires and narrative plots were sent to 350 Italian specialists; 184 therapists completed the first section and 87 also wrote their stories.