The first perinatal hospice as a joint venture or a competitive field?

ŠMÍDOVÁ, Iva. The first perinatal hospice as a joint venture or a competitive field? In 51st British Sociological Association Medical Sociology Group Annual Conference. 2019.

Basic information

• Original name: The first perinatal hospice as a joint venture or a competitive field?
• Name in Czech: První perinatální hospic jako společný podnik nebo pole pro soupeření?
• Authors: ŠMÍDOVÁ, Iva.
• Edition: 51st British Sociological Association Medical Sociology Group Annual Conference, 2019.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Conference abstract
• Field of Study: 50401 Sociology
• Country of publisher: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Organization unit: Faculty of Social Studies
• Keywords (in Czech): perinatální ztráta; hospicová péče; sociologie zdraví; sociologie smrti a umírání; kvalitativní výzkum
• Keywords in English: perinatal loss; hospice care; sociology of health; sociology of death and dying; qualitative research
• Tags: death and dying, perinatal loss, qualitative research, sociology of health
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

There is no legally established perinatal hospice in the Czech Republic. Several initiatives work to establish some and use the label of perinatal hospice in their endeavors to alter or subvert the so far narrowly defined legal framework for such an institution. Country regulation and financing of hospices from the public health insurance is an emerging pilot practice here. Hospice care generally (even palliative care to a certain extent) is becoming a legitimate segment of provision of care only in recent years. This context significantly impacts children´s hospice care and perinatal hospice care. The paper analyses several initiatives striving hard to establish and formalize perinatal hospices in the Czech Republic and concentrates on strategies that actors involved in those few initiatives engage to push their goal through. These strategies range from altruistic and self-scarifying efforts through various network and community empowerment, ideologically and politically grounded or motivated approaches to clear business plans. These initiatives across the country vary in cooperation or competitive approach to one another, yet they also strive to establish or to be recognized as “the first perinatal hospice”. The paper shows that such competitive rhetoric is adopted to attract funding of these projects, and it reflects impact of the business-like terminology on the ethos of these beneficial activities.

Links

• GA17-02773S, research and development project: Name: Perinatální ztráta - případová studie

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Perinatal Loss - A Case Study