Early identification of palliative care needs by family physicians: A qualitative study of barriers and facilitators from the perspective of family physicians, community nurses, and patients

Palliative Care in Early Dementia

BACKGROUND

Palliative care is recommended for all people with dementia from diagnosis through end-of-life. However, palliative care needs and effective elements of palliative care are not well-defined for the earlier stages of dementia.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically map current research on palliative care early in the disease trajectory of dementia.

DESIGN

Scoping review of scientific literature.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane, PsycINFO, Web of Science.

REVIEW METHODS

We included studies published in English over the last decade (through March 2022) that focused on palliative care in early stages of dementia and targeted outcomes in palliative care domains. Two authors independently screened abstracts and full texts and scored the quality of included studies using tools by the Joanna Briggs Institute.

RESULTS

Among the 77 papers reviewed, few addressed early stages of dementia specifically. We found that: 1) While "early" palliative care was not well-defined in the literature, evidence indicated that palliative care needs were present at or before diagnosis and across the trajectory. Notable opportunities for palliative care arise at 'tipping points' (i.e., when symptoms, functional status, or caregiving needs change). 2) Palliative care needs in early dementia include advocacy for goal-aligned care in the future, reassurance against the threat of negligence and abandonment by caregivers, planning for future scenarios of care (practical, individual, and relational needs), and establishing of long-term relationships with providers entrusted for care later in disease. 3) Elements of effective palliative care in early dementia could include dementia-specific ACP and goals of care discussions, navigation for building a network of support, provision of tools and resources for family, tailored care and knowledge of the person, and well-prepared dementia-care providers. The scarcity of palliative care studies aimed at early disease indicates a gap in the evidence in dementia care.

CONCLUSION

The literature on palliative care in early dementia is sparse. Future studies should focus on assessment tools for optimizing timing of palliative care in early dementia, gaining better understanding of patient and family needs during early phases of disease, and providing training for providers and families in long-term relationships and communication around goals of care and future planning.

Emotional cues and concerns of patients with a life limiting, chronic illness during advance care planning conversations in general practice

OBJECTIVE

To explore a) to what extent patients with serious illness express emotional cues and concerns during advance care planning (ACP) conversations with their general practitioner (GP), b) the content of cues/concerns and c) GPs' responses to cues/concerns.

METHODS

Cues/concerns and GPs' responses in 20 conversations were coded using the Verona Codes (VR-CoDES and Verona Codes-P). A qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify overarching themes within the content of the cues/concerns.

RESULTS

A total of 216 cues/concerns were identified (range: 1-28; mean: 13) in 85% of conversations; with 85% of these being cues/implicit expressions of emotions. In 72% of responses, the GP provided space for the patient to elaborate on cues/concerns. The most common theme cues/concerns were expressed about was "the consequences of illness on quality of life and burdening others".

CONCLUSION

Emotions were mainly communicated implicitly as cues and the content varied greatly. The amount of cues/concerns expressed show that ACP can evoke many emotions.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

GPs should be attentive to implicit expressions of emotions as these provide opportunities to engage patients in tailored ACP conversations. As patients expressed many cues/concerns, GPs are recommended to have recurrent conversations with patients and actively ask about diverse ACP topics.

What Palliative Patients and their Carers Need at Home and what a Primary Health Care Team can Offer - First Pilot Study in Slovenia

Introduction

Spending one's last days and dying at home is a common wish of people with a life-limiting illness. Home-based palliative care is essentially organised at the primary level to meet the needs of palliative patients and their carers. The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of home-based palliative care, focusing on those who identify palliative patients, what their needs are and how this affects their length of life and site of death.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study analysed routinely collected notes of patients enrolled in home-based palliative care between 2015 and 2021. Palliative care was provided by a primary health care team in a predominantly rural area.

Results

This study included 107 palliative patients, aged 71±11.4 years, 94% of whom had cancer. They were enrolled in palliative care by their primary care team or by hospital staff. The enrolment by hospital staff (3%) resulted in significantly shorter survival (p=0.008). Patients lived an average of 66 days, and 65% of patients died at home. Home-based palliative care was found to respond to both basic and complex palliative medical needs, but was weaker in addressing socio-economic, psychological or spiritual issues.

Conclusion

This exemplary primary-level palliative team provided home-based palliative care that has improved over the years in terms of all the observed quality indicators: early enrolment, the proportion of patients dying at home and the ability to address needs. Specialised mobile palliative teams, hospitals and other palliative care settings complement home-based palliative care.

Communication about early palliative care: A qualitative study of oncology providers' perspectives of navigating the artful introduction to the palliative care team

Background

Despite robust evidence for the integration of early palliative care for patients with advanced cancer, many patients still access this approach to care late. Communication about the introduction of Early Palliative Care is an important skill of healthcare providers working in this setting. In the context of limited community understanding about palliative care, patients and their families may express fear or negative reactions to its early introduction. Health professionals may lack the confidence or skill to describe the role and benefits of early palliative care.

Aim

This study sought to explore clinicians' perspectives on communication about referral to early palliative care, specifically identifying facilitators in undertaking this communication task.

Methods

An exploratory qualitative study set within a tertiary oncology service in Victoria, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively sampled oncology clinicians exploring their perspectives on communication about referral to early palliative care. A reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken by two researchers, including both latent and semantic coding relevant to the research question. Reporting of the research was guided by the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist.

Results

Twelve oncology clinicians (58% female, with 67% > 15 years clinical experience) from medical oncology, surgical oncology, and haematology participated. The artful navigation of communication about early palliative care was characterised by the need for a 'spiel' involving the adoption of a series of strategies or 'tactics' when introducing this service. These themes included: 1) Using carefully selected and rehearsed language; 2) Framing in terms of symptom control; 3) Framing as additive to patient care; 4) Selling the service benefits of early palliative care; 5) Framing acceptance of referral as an altruistic act; and 6) Adopting a phased approach to delivering information about palliative care.

Implications

This study highlights the wide ranging and innovative communication strategies and skills required by health professionals to facilitate referral to early palliative care for cancer patients and their families. Future focus on upskilling clinicians around communication of this topic will be important to ensure successful implementation of models of early palliative care in routine cancer care.

Understanding how the Support Needs Approach for Patients (SNAP) enables identification, expression and discussion of patient support needs: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

To identify whether and how the support needs approach for patients enables patients with chronic progressive conditions to identify, express and discuss their unmet support needs.

METHODS

Thirteen healthcare professionals trained in the Support Needs Approach for Patients (SNAP), recruited from three pilot sites in the East of England (across primary, community and secondary care) delivered SNAP to 56 patients with the exemplar condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease over a 4-month period. Healthcare professionals participated in a mid-pilot semi-structured interview (pilot site representatives) and end-of pilot focus group (all healthcare professionals). Twenty patients who received SNAP were interviewed about their experiences (topic-guided). Transcripts analysed using a framework approach.

RESULTS

There were differences in how healthcare professionals delivered SNAP and how patients engaged with it; analysing the interaction of these identified a continuum of care (from person-centred to healthcare professional-led) which impacted patient identification and expression of need and resulting responses. When delivered as intended, SNAP operationalised person-centred care enabling patient-led identification, expression and discussion of support needs.

DISCUSSION

SNAP addresses the rhetoric within policy, good practice guidance and the person-centred care literature espousing the need to involve patients in identifying their needs and preferences by providing healthcare professionals with a mechanism for achieving holistic person-centred care in everyday practice.

Public Health Perspective of Primary Palliative Care: A Review through the Lenses of General Practitioners

The rising trend of chronic life-threatening illnesses is accompanied by an exponential increase in serious health-related suffering. Palliative care is known to ameliorate physical and psychosocial suffering and restore quality of life. However, the contemporary challenges of palliative care delivery, such as changing demographics, social isolation, inequity in service delivery, and professionalisation of dying, have prompted many to adopt a public health approach to palliative care delivery. A more decentralised approach in which palliative care is integrated into primary care will ensure that the care is available locally to those who need it and at a cost that they can afford. General practitioners (GPs) play a pivotal role in providing primary palliative care in the community. They ensure that care is provided in alignment with patients’ and their families’ wishes along the trajectory of the life-threatening illness and at the patient’s preferred place. GPs use an interdisciplinary approach by collaborating with specialist palliative care teams and other healthcare professionals. However, they face challenges in providing end-of-life care in the community, which include identification of patients in need of palliative care, interpersonal communication, addressing patients’ and caregivers’ needs, clarity in roles and responsibilities between GPs and specialist palliative care teams, coordination of service with specialists and lack of confidence in providing palliative care in view of deficiencies in knowledge and skills in palliative care. Multiple training formats and learning styles for GPs in end-of-life care have been explored across studies. The research has yielded mixed results in terms of physician performance and patient outcomes. This calls for more research on GPs’ views on end-of-life care learning preferences, as this might inform policy and practice and facilitate future training programs in end-of-life care.

How Do We Talk With People Living With Dementia About Future Care: A Scoping Review

A diagnosis of dementia often comes with difficulties in understanding a conversational context and expressing how one feels. So far, research on how to facilitate advance care planning (ACP) for people with dementia focused on defining relevant themes and topics for conversations, or on how to formalize decisions made by surrogate decision makers, e.g., family members. The aim of this review is to provide a better scope of the existing research on practical communication aspects related to dementia in ACP conversations. In November 2020, seven databases were searched to select papers for inclusion (Proquest, Medline, Embase, Scopus, Psycinfo, Amed, and Cinahl). This search was updated in December 2021. The search strategy consisted of three tiers (related terms to "dementia," "communication" and "ACP"), intersected by using the Boolean term "AND," and resulted in 787 studies. Two researchers followed explicit criteria for two sequential levels of screening, based on titles and abstracts and full papers. A total of 22 studies were included for data analysis. Seven topics (i.e., importance of having ACP conversations, knowledge gap, inclusion of people with dementia in ACP conversations, policy vs. practice, adapting to cognitive changes, adapting to psychosocial changes, and adapting to emotional changes) emerged clustered around two themes (i.e., communicating with people with dementia in ACP, and changes in communication due to dementia). This scoping review provides practical suggestions for healthcare professionals to improve ACP communication and uncovered gaps in research on communication aspects related to dementia in ACP conversations, such as non-verbal behavior, timing and implementation, and personal preferences.

Utilizing the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Explore Palliative Care Program Implementation for American Indian and Alaska Natives throughout the United States

Background: A significant shortage of palliative care (PC) services exists for American Indian and Alaska Native people (AI/ANs) across the United States. Using an implementation science framework, we interviewed key individuals associated with AI/AN-focused PC programs to explore what is needed to develop and sustain such programs. Objectives: To identify facilitators of implementation and barriers to sustainability associated with the development of PC programs designed for AI/ANs across the United States. Methods: We interviewed 12 key individuals responsible for the implementation of AI/AN-focused PC services. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided data coding and interpretation of themes. Results: We identified nine themes that map to CFIR constructs. Facilitators of implementation include high tension for change and respecting cultural values. Barriers to program sustainability include a lack of administrative leadership support. Discussion: AI/AN-focused PC programs should be congruent with community needs. PC program developers should focus on sustainability well before initial implementation.

Who should talk with patients about their end-of-life care wishes? A nationwide survey of the Hungarian population

OBJECTIVE

To explore the needs and opportunities of the general population to communicate their end-of-life care wishes and to investigate what roles are assigned to healthcare providers and family members in end-of-life care discussions.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional social survey was carried out in Hungary. Descriptive analysis and analysis of variance were performed.

SETTING

Nationwide survey of the Hungarian general population.

SUBJECT

The sample (n = 1100) was designed to represent the adult population as per distribution by gender, age and geographical region.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Needs and opportunities of the general population to communicate end-of-life care wishes.

RESULTS

72% of participants found it important to discuss their end-of-life care wishes with someone. Six out of ten believed that it was also the GPs' task to talk with the patients about their end-of-life care wishes. An almost equal level of engagement was expected from healthcare providers (80%) -especially physicians (72%)- and family members (75%) in end-of-life conversations. However, only 36% of participants felt that there was someone among their healthcare providers, and 56% of them had a family member or friend with whom they could speak openly about death, dying and preparing for death.

CONCLUSION

Compared to their needs, the general population had fewer opportunities to speak about death, dying and preparing for death. Training programs for healthcare providers, particularly GPs, and public awareness campaigns may support the broader application of advance care planning in Hungary.Key PointsCurrent guidelines recommend that GPs initiate advance care planning discussions. However, little is known with whom the general population wish to discuss their end-of-life care preferences and with whom there is an opportunity to do so.An almost equal level of engagement was expected from healthcare providers -especially physicians- and family members in end-of-life conversations. Most of the general population thought that participation in end-of-life discussions was also the GPs' task.The majority of participants reported that there was no one among their healthcare providers and a sizable minority felt that there was no one among their family members or friends with whom they could talk openly about death, dying, and preparing for death.The highest levels of unmet needs regarding end-of-life conversations with healthcare providers were found among those who considered it important to discuss their end-of-life care wishes.

Healthcare practices that increase the quality of care in cancer trajectories from a general practice perspective: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

General practice plays an important role in cancer trajectories, and cancer patients request the continuous involvement of general practice. The objective of this scoping review was to identify healthcare practices that increase the quality of care in cancer trajectories from a general practice perspective.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND SUBJECTS

A scoping review of the literature published in Danish or English from 2010 to 2020 was conducted. Data was collected using identified keywords and indexed terms in several databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EBSCO CINAHL, Scopus, and ProQuest), contacting key experts, searching through reference lists, and reports from selected health political, research- and interest organizations' websites.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We identified healthcare practices in cancer trajectories that increase quality care. Identified healthcare practices were grouped into four contextual domains and allocated to defined phases in the cancer trajectory. The results are presented according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR).

RESULTS

A total of 45 peer-reviewed and six non-peer-reviewed articles and reports were included. Quality of care increases in all phases of the cancer trajectory when GPs listen carefully to the full story and use action plans. After diagnosis, quality of care increases when GPs and practice staff have a proactive care approach, act as interpreters of diagnosis, treatment options, and its consequences, and engage in care coordination with specialists in secondary care involving the patient.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review identified healthcare practices that increase the quality of care in cancer trajectories from a general practice perspective. The results support general practice in investigating own healthcare practices and identifying possibilities for quality improvement.KEY POINTSIdentified healthcare practices in general practice that increase the quality of care in cancer trajectories:Listen carefully to the full storyUse action plans and time-out-consultationsPlan and provide proactive careAct as an interpreter of diagnosis, treatment options, and its consequences for the patientCoordinate care with specialists, patients, and caregivers with mutual respectIdentified barriers for quality of care in cancer trajectories are:Time constraints in consultationsLimited accessibility for patients and caregiversHealth practices to increase the quality of care should be effective, safe, people-centered, timely, equitable, integrated, and efficient. These distinctions of quality of care, support general practice in investigating and improving quality of care in cancer trajectories.

How are family caregivers of people with a serious illness supported by healthcare professionals in their caregiving tasks? A cross-sectional survey of bereaved family caregivers

BACKGROUND

Due to medical advances and an increasingly ageing population, the number of people living with a serious illness is rising. This has major implications for the burden on family members of assisting with care. Support of family caregivers by healthcare professionals is needed to ensure they can provide quality care for people with serious illness.

AIM

To investigate how family caregivers of people with serious illness are supported by healthcare professionals in their caregiving tasks.

DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS

Population-based cross-sectional survey of bereaved family caregivers of people with serious illness (N = 3000) who cared for a person who had died 2-6 months before the sample was drawn (November 2019), as identified through three sickness funds in Flanders, Belgium. The survey explored support from healthcare professionals for family caregivers 3 months prior to bereavement.

RESULTS

Response rate was 55.0%. Most family caregivers received support from one or more healthcare professionals for family caregiving tasks, ranging from 71% for promoting social interaction to 95% for managing symptoms. The type of support mostly involved providing information. Use of palliative care services was the strongest predictor of such support across physical, psychosocial and practical tasks.

CONCLUSION

Most family caregivers of those with serious illness get some form of support from healthcare professionals for their tasks. However, an empowering support strategy for example one aimed at increasing self-efficacy of the family caregiver is rare and end-of-life communication between healthcare professionals and family caregivers needs improvement.

Integration of a Palliative Approach in the Care of Older Adults with Dementia in Primary Care Settings: A Scoping Review

A palliative approach to care aims to meet the needs of patients and caregivers throughout a chronic disease trajectory and can be delivered by non-palliative specialists. There is an important gap in understanding the perspectives and experiences of primary care providers on an integrated palliative approach in dementia care and the impact of existing programs and models to this end. To address these, we undertook a scoping review. We searched five databases; and used descriptive numerical summary and narrative synthesizing approaches for data analysis. We found that: (1) difficulty with prognostication and a lack of interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration are obstacles to using a palliative approach in primary care; and (2) a palliative approach results in statistically and clinically significant impacts on community-dwelling individuals, specifically those with later stages of dementia. There is a need for high-quality research studies examining the integrated palliative approach models and initiation of these models sooner in the care trajectory for persons living with mild and moderate stages of dementia in the community.

A qualitative exploration of interactional and organizational determinants of collaboration in cancer palliative care settings: Family members', health care professionals' and key informants' perspectives

As life expectancy has increased, a growing number of people experience conditions, including cancers, that carry complex health and social needs. Palliative care services have the potential to address these needs but face significant obstacles. One major obstacle is suboptimal interprofessional collaboration. This study’s goal was an in-depth exploration of interactional and organizational barriers and supports of collaboration in palliative care in Switzerland. We sought the perspectives of health care professionals, patients’ family members and leaders and experts in oncology/palliative care delivery (key informants) through interviews and focus groups with fifty HPs and key informants and ten patients’ family members. Qualitative analyses of interviews and focus groups used framework analysis. We identified three major themes of interaction: personal characteristics, communication, and connectedness with other health care professionals; and three major organizational themes: service characteristics, standardized communication and processes, and service coordination and promotion. Based on our findings, we recommend that health care professionals consider strategies to increase their collaboration and communication skills and opportunities to interact. We advocate the implementation of methods for coordinating services, standardization of consultation/referral procedures and communication between health care professionals, and the promotion of underutilized services to foster successful, sustainable collaboration.

Identification of palliative care needs among people with dementia and its association with acute hospital care and community service use at the end-of-life: A retrospective cohort study using linked primary, community and secondary care data

BACKGROUND

Hospital admissions among people dying with dementia are common. It is not known whether identification of palliative care needs could help prevent unnecessary admissions.

AIM

To examine the proportion of people with dementia identified as having palliative care needs in their last year of life, and the association between identification of needs and primary, community and hospital services in the last 90 days.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using Discover, an administrative and clinical dataset from 365 primary care practices in London with deterministic individual-level data linkage to community and hospital records.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

People diagnosed with dementia and registered with a general practitioner in North West London (UK) who died between 2016 and 2019. The primary outcome was multiple non-elective hospital admissions in the last 90 days of life. Secondary outcomes included contacts with primary and community care providers. We examined the association between identification of palliative care needs with outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 5804 decedents with dementia, 1953 (33.6%) were identified as having palliative care needs, including 1141 (19.7%) identified before the last 90 days of life. Identification of palliative care needs before the last 90 days was associated with a lower risk of multiple hospital admissions (Relative Risk 0.70, 95% CI 0.58-0.85) and more contacts with the primary care practice, community nurses and palliative care teams in the last 90 days.

CONCLUSIONS

Further investigation of the mechanisms underlying the association between identification of palliative care needs and reduced hospital admissions could help reduce reliance on acute care for this population.

Health care utilization among patients with oesophageal and gastric cancer: the impact of initial treatment strategy and assignment of a contact nurse

Background

Patients diagnosed with oesophageal and gastric cancer face a poor prognosis and numerous challenges of symptom management, lifestyle adjustments and complex treatment regimens. The multifaceted care needs and rapid disease progression reinforce the need for proactive and coherent health care. According to the national cancer strategy, providing coherent health care and palliative support is an area of priority. More knowledge is needed about health care utilization and the characteristics of the health care service in order to understand the readiness, accessibility and quality of current health care. The aim of this study was to describe individuals’ health care use from the time of treatment decision until death, and investigate the impact of the initial treatment strategy and assignment of a contact nurse (CN) on health care use among patients with oesophageal and gastric cancer.

Methods

This population-based cohort study included patients who died from oesophageal and gastric cancer in Sweden during 2014–2016. Through linking data from the National Register for Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer, the National Cause of Death Register, and the National Patient Register, 2614 individuals were identified. Associations between the initial treatment strategy and CN assignment, and health care use were investigated. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Poisson regression.

Results

Patients receiving palliative treatment and those receiving no tumour-directed treatment had a higher IRR for unplanned hospital stays and unplanned outpatient care visits compared with patients who received curative treatment. Patients receiving no tumour-directed treatment also had a lower IRR for planned hospital stays and planned outpatient care visits compared with patients given curative treatment. Compared with this latter group, patients with palliative treatment had a higher IRR for planned outpatient care visits. Patients assigned a CN had a higher IRR for unplanned hospital stays, unplanned outpatient care visits and planned outpatient care visits, compared with patients not assigned a CN.

Conclusions

A palliative treatment strategy and no tumour-directed treatment were associated with higher rates of unplanned health care compared with a curative treatment strategy, suggesting that a proactive approach is imperative to ensure quality palliative care.

Perceptions of healthcare professionals towards palliative care in internal medicine wards: a cross-sectional survey

Background

The extension of palliative care services to meet the needs of patients with chronic non-malignant life-limiting conditions faces misconceptions amongst healthcare professionals. A study of prevailing perceptions of healthcare professionals on this wider palliative care service was thus conducted to identify current obstacles, guide the education of local healthcare professionals and improve service accessibility.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Singapore General Hospital. An anonymised and close-ended online questionnaire was disseminated to 120 physicians and 500 nurses in the Department of Internal Medicine. The online survey tool focused on participant demographics; perceptions of palliative care and its perceived benefits; roles and indications; and attitudes and behaviours towards palliative care referrals.

Results

Forty four physicians and 156 nurses suggested that care of terminally ill patients with chronic non-malignant life-limiting conditions are compromised by concerns over the role of palliative care in non-cancer care and lapses in their prognostication and communication skills. Respondents also raised concerns about their ability to confront sociocultural issues and introduce palliative care services to patients and their families.

Conclusions

Gaps in understanding and the ability of nurses and physicians to communicate end of life issues, introduce palliative care services to patients and their families and confront sociocultural issues suggest the need for a longitudinal training program. With similar concerns likely prevalent in other clinical settings within this island nation, a concerted national education program targeting obstacles surrounding effective palliative care should be considered.

Frequency of providing a palliative approach to care in family practice: a chart review and perceptions of healthcare practitioners in Canada

Background

Most patients nearing the end of life can benefit from a palliative approach in primary care. We currently do not know how to measure a palliative approach in family practice. The objective of this study was to describe the provision of a palliative approach and evaluate clinicians’ perceptions of the results.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive study of deceased patients in an interprofessional team family practice. We integrated conceptual models of a palliative approach to create a chart review tool to capture a palliative approach in the last year of life and assessed a global rating of whether a palliative approach was provided. Clinicians completed a questionnaire before learning the results and after, on perceptions of how often they believed a palliative approach was provided by the team.

Results

Among 79 patients (mean age at death 73 years, 54% female) cancer and cardiac diseases were the top conditions responsible for death. One-quarter of patients were assessed as having received a palliative approach. 53% of decedents had a documented discussion about goals of care, 41% had nurse involvement, and 15.2% had a discussion about caregiver well-being. These indicators had the greatest discrimination between a palliative approach or not. Agreement that elements of a palliative approach were provided decreased significantly on the clinician questionnaire from before to after viewing the results.

Conclusions

This study identified measurable indicators of a palliative approach in family practice, that can be used as the basis for quality improvement.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-021-01400-4.

The perception of people with cancer of starting a conversation about palliative care: A qualitative interview study

OBJECTIVE

Communication and patient-centred care are important determinants for timely initiation of palliative care. Therefore, we aimed to understand and explain the behaviour "starting a conversation about palliative care with a professional carer" from the perspective of people with incurable cancer.

METHODS

A qualitative study using semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 25 people with incurable cancer: 13 not (yet) receiving palliative care and 12 receiving palliative care; 4 started the conversation themselves. Determinants related to the defined behaviour were matched with concepts in existing behavioural theories.

RESULTS

Both positive and negative stances towards starting a conversation about palliative care with a professional carer were found. Influencing behavioural factors were identified, such as knowledge (e.g. about palliative care), attitude (e.g. association of palliative care with quality of life) and social influence (e.g. relationship with the professional carer). We modelled the determinants into a behavioural model.

CONCLUSION

The behavioural model developed helps to explain why people with incurable cancer do or do not start a conversation about palliative care with their professional carer. By targeting the modifiable determinants of the model, promising interventions can be developed to help patients taken the initiative in communication about palliative care with a professional carer.

Research Literature on the Intersection of Dementia, Spirituality, and Palliative Care: A Scoping Review

CONTEXT

Dementia marks an increasingly prevalent terminal illness for which palliative care, including spiritual care, could improve quality of life. Research gaps exist in understanding the intersection of dementia, spirituality, and palliative care.

OBJECTIVES

We conducted the first scoping review examining the nature and breadth of peer-reviewed studies across these three topics to guide future research.

METHODS

The scoping review followed methods from The Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers' Manual (2015). We developed a priori a scoping review protocol outlining the population, concept, and context for study; data sources; search strategy; inclusion/exclusion criteria; and procedure for screening, extracting, and analyzing data.

RESULTS

The final sample consisted of 19 studies with the following themes: characterizing spiritual needs, preferences, and resources; characterizing palliative or spiritual care; predicting provision of spiritual care; and assessing spiritual care interventions. Eighteen studies were published in the past decade, and 11 studies were based in Europe. Most studies focused on long-term care settings, grouped stages of dementia or did not specify dementia stage, and investigated interventions indirectly related to spiritual care. Many studies were limited in sample size and generalizability/transferability and used less sophisticated research designs.

CONCLUSION

Research across dementia, spirituality, and palliative care needs to examine settings beyond long-term care, distinct stages of dementia, and formal spiritual care interventions plus use rigorous study designs (e.g., randomized clinical trials). Such research could advance practice and policy that enhance quality of life for tens of millions of persons with dementia and their family members worldwide.

Facilitators and barriers to general practitioner and general practice nurse participation in end-of-life care: systematic review

BACKGROUND

General practitioners (GPs) and general practice nurses (GPNs) face increasing demands to provide palliative care (PC) or end-of-life care (EoLC) as the population ages. To enhance primary EoLC, the facilitators and barriers to their provision need to be understood.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a comprehensive description of the facilitators and barriers to GP and GPN provision of PC or EoLC.

METHOD

Systematic literature review. Data included papers (2000 to 2017) sought from Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, Joanna Briggs Institute and Cochrane databases.

RESULTS

From 6209 journal articles, 62 reviewed papers reported the GP's and GPN's role in EoLC or PC practice. Six themes emerged: patient factors; personal GP factors; general practice factors; relational factors; co-ordination of care; availability of services. Four specific settings were identified: aged care facilities, out-of-hours care and resource-constrained settings (rural, and low-income and middle-income countries). Most GPs provide EoLC to some extent, with greater professional experience leading to increased comfort in performing this form of care. The organisation of primary care at practice, local and national level impose numerous structural barriers that impede more significant involvement. There are potential gaps in service provision where GPNs may provide significant input, but there is a paucity of studies describing GPN routine involvement in EoLC.

CONCLUSIONS

While primary care practitioners have a natural role to play in EoLC, significant barriers exist to improved GP and GPN involvement in PC. More work is required on the role of GPNs.

Palliative care utilization in oncology and hemato-oncology: a systematic review of cognitive barriers and facilitators from the perspective of healthcare professionals, adult patients, and their families

BACKGROUND

Despite the high potential to improve the quality of life of patients and families, palliative care services face significant obstacles to their use. In countries with high-resource health systems, the nonfinancial and nonstructural obstacles to palliative care services are particularly prominent. These are the cognitive barriers -knowledge and communication barriers- to the use of palliative care. To date no systematic review has given the deserved attention to the cognitive barriers and facilitators to palliative care services utilization. This study aims to synthesize knowledge on cognitive barriers and facilitators to palliative care use in oncology and hemato-oncology from the experiences of health professionals, patients, and their families.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted. PubMed, PsycINFO, International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care/Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (IAHPC/CINAHL), and Communication & Mass Media Complete (CMMC) were systematically searched for the main core concepts: palliative care, barriers, facilitators, perspectives, points of view, and related terms and synonyms. After screening of titles, abstracts, and full-texts, 52 studies were included in the qualitative thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes were identified: awareness of palliative care, collaboration and communication in palliative care-related settings, attitudes and beliefs towards palliative care, and emotions involved in disease pathways. The results showed that cognitive barriers and facilitators are involved in the educational, social, emotional, and cultural dimensions of palliative care provision and utilization. In particular, these barriers and facilitators exist both at the healthcare professional level (e.g. a barrier is lack of understanding of palliative care applicability, and a facilitator is strategic visibility of the palliative care team in patient floors and hospital-wide events) and at the patient and families level (e.g. a barrier is having misconceptions about palliative care, and a facilitator is patients' openness to their own needs).

CONCLUSIONS

To optimize palliative care services utilization, awareness of palliative care, and healthcare professionals' communication and emotion management skills should be enhanced. Additionally, a cultural shift, concerning attitudes and beliefs towards palliative care, should be encouraged.

The views of physicians and nurses on the potentials of an electronic assessment system for recognizing the needs of patients in palliative care

Objectives

Patients in oncological and palliative care (PC) often have complex needs, which require a comprehensive treatment approach. The assessment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) has been shown to improve identification of patient needs and foster adjustment of treatment. This study explores occupational routines, attitudes and expectations of physicians and nurses with regards to a planned electronic assessment system of PROs.

Methods

Ten physicians and nine nurses from various PC settings in Southern Germany were interviewed. The interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis.

Results

The interviewees were sceptical about the quality of data generated through a patient self-assessment system. They criticised the rigidity of the electronic assessment questionnaire, which the interviewees noted may not fit the profile of all palliative patients. They feared the loss of personal contact between medical staff and patients and favoured in-person conversation and on-site observations on site over the potential system. Interviewees saw potential in being able to discover unseen needs from some patients. Interviewees evaluated the system positively in the case that the system served to broadly orient care plans without affecting or reducing the patient-caregiver relationship.

Conclusions

A significant portion of the results touch upon the symbolic acceptance of the suggested system, which stands for an increasing standardisation and technisation of medicine where interpersonal contact and the professional expertise are marginalized. The study results can provide insight for processes and communication in the run-up to and during the implementation of electronic assessment systems.

Access and referral to palliative care for patients with chronic heart failure: A qualitative study of healthcare professionals

BACKGROUND

Palliative care for individuals with chronic heart failure is recommended for improving patients' symptoms, function and overall quality of life. Despite this mandate, there is limited access and referral to specialist palliative care for individuals with chronic heart failure.

OBJECTIVES

To explore healthcare professionals' perspectives on access to palliative care for patients with chronic heart failure, focussing on patient, provider and system factors.

METHODS

Cardiologists, palliative care specialists, heart failure nurses and palliative care nurses in acute and community care settings were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were used for recruitment. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The COREQ checklist guided data collection and reporting.

RESULTS

There were 15 participants in the study, and the majority were female. Participants included palliative medicine physicians, a palliative care nurse consultant, cardiologists, a general practitioner and advanced heart failure nurses. The themes derived from the thematic analysis centred on patient, provider and system factors impacting access and referral to palliative care in the context of chronic heart failure. The patient themes were (a) patient and family preconception of palliative care and (b) patient's clinical profile influences referral. The provider themes were (a) conflict, (b) making decisions and (c) education needs, and the system themes were (a) accessing services and resources and (b) improving the model of care.

CONCLUSIONS

The patient's clinical profile, education needs of healthcare professionals and improving access to services and resources need to be considered to enhance palliative care access and referral as well as the interacting and influencing elements of the patient, provider and system.

The key factors for the engagement of primary stakeholders in decision-making for the future care of people with dementia living in the community: a systematic integrative review

BACKGROUND

Engagement of people with dementia who are living in the community, their family or carers, and healthcare professionals in decision-making related to their future care is an area yet to be explored in the literature. In particular, little is known about the factors most likely to underpin their engagement.

OBJECTIVES

To identify key factors for the engagement of the person with dementia living in the community, as well as their family or carer and their healthcare professionals in decision-making processes related to future care.

DESIGN

This is an integrative review guided by the PRISMA guidelines; the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess study quality. MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Embase databases were searched for articles published from 2012 to 2018 that focused on people with dementia who live in the community, their family or carers, and community-based healthcare professionals.

RESULTS

Twenty articles were included in the review, and six key factors were identified through thematic analysis: knowledge and understanding of dementia and decision-making for the future, valuing decision-making for the future, healthcare professionals' communication skills, timing of initiating conversations, relationship quality, and orientation to the future.

CONCLUSION

This review identifies the six key factors required for the engagement of the three primary key stakeholders in decision-making about the future care of people with dementia. It also situates the factors within the complex context in which people with dementia, their family or carers, and healthcare professionals typically find themselves.

Palliative care in primary care: European Forum for Primary Care position paper

AIM

The aim of this position paper is to assist primary health care (PHC) providers, policymakers, and researchers by discussing the current context in which palliative health care functions within PHC in Europe. The position paper gives examples for improvements to palliative care models from studies and international discussions at European Forum for Primary Care (EFPC) workshops and conferences.

BACKGROUND

Palliative care is a holistic approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with terminal illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and diligent assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial, or spiritual. Unfortunately, some Europeans, unless they have cancer, still do not have access to generalist or specialist palliative care.

METHODS

A draft of this position paper was distributed electronically through the EFPC network in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Active collaboration with the representatives of the International Primary Palliative Care Network was established from the very beginning and more recently with the EAPC Primary Care Reference Group. Barriers, opportunities, and examples of good and bad practices were discussed at workshops focusing on palliative care at the international conferences of Southeastern European countries in Ljubljana (2015) and Budva (2017), at regular conferences in Amsterdam (2015) and Riga (2016), at the WONCA Europe conferences in Istanbul (2015), Copenhagen (2016), and Prague (2017), and at the EAPC conference in Madrid (2017).

FINDINGS

There is great diversity in the extent and type of palliative care provided in primary care by European countries. Primary care teams (PCTs) are well placed to encourage timely palliative care. We collected examples from different countries. We found numerous barriers influencing PCTs in preparing care plans with patients. We identified many facilitators to improve the organization of palliative care.

How do hospital-based nurses and physicians identify the palliative phase in their patients and what difficulties exist? A qualitative interview study

BACKGROUND

Early start of palliative care improves the quality of life of eligible patients and their relatives. However, in hospital, patients who could benefit from palliative care are often not identified timely. The aim of this study is to assess how hospital-based nurses and physicians define the palliative phase, how they identify the palliative phase and what difficulties they face.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were held with ten nurses and 18 physicians working at seven hospitals in the Netherlands. Data was analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Nurses and physicians feel insecure about how to define the palliative phase and differentiate between an acute and extended phase. Great variation existed in what life expectancy is attributed to each phase. A variety of ways to identify the palliative phase were described: 1) Prognostication. 2) Treatment trade-off. 3) Assessment of patients' preferences and needs. 4) Interprofessional collaboration. Professionals base prognostication on their experience but also search for clinical indicators. When benefits of treatment no longer outweigh the negatives, this was considered an, albeit late, identification point. To start a conversation on a patients' palliative care needs was found to be difficult. Therefore, some respondents wait for patients to vocalize preferences themselves. Many professionals rely on interprofessional collaboration for identification, however uncertainty exist about responsibilities. Difficulties in identification occurred because of variance in definitions, unpredictability of non-oncological diseases, focus on treatment and difficulties in communication and collaboration.

CONCLUSION

These results provide insight into the challenges and difficulties hospital-based professionals experience in timely identification of patients with palliative care needs.

Early integrated palliative care in chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: protocol of a feasibility before-after intervention study

Background

Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are amenable to integrated palliative care (PC); however, despite the recommendation by various healthcare organizations, these patients have limited access to integrated PC services. In this study, we present the protocol of a feasibility prospective study that aims to explore if an “early integrated PC” intervention can be performed in an acute setting (cardiology and pulmonology wards) and whether it will have an effect on (i) the satisfaction of care and (ii) the quality of life and the level of symptom control of CHF/COPD patients and their informal caregivers.

Methods

A before-after intervention study with three phases, (i) baseline phase where the control group receives standard care, (ii) training phase where the personnel is trained on the application of the intervention, and (iii) intervention phase where the intervention is applied, will be carried out in cardiology and pulmonology wards in the University Hospital Leuven for patients with advanced CHF/COPD and their informal caregivers. Eligible patients (both control and intervention group) and their informal caregivers will be asked to complete the Palliative Outcome Scale, the CANHELP Lite, and the Advance Care Planning Questionnaire at the inclusion moment and 3 months after hospital discharge.

Discussion

The present study will assess the feasibility of carrying out PC-focused studies in acute wards for CHF/COPD patients and draw lessons for the further integration of PC alongside standard treatment. Further, it will measure the quality of life and quality of care of patients and thus shed light on the care needs of this population. Finally, it will evaluate the potential efficacy of the “early integrated palliative care” by comparing against existing practices.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN24796028 (date of registration August 30, 2018).

Prevalence and Characteristics of Patients Being at Risk of Deteriorating and Dying in Primary Care

CONTEXT

Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of primary care outpatients being at risk of deteriorating and dying may allow general practitioners (GPs) to identify them and initiate end-of-life discussions.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of primary care outpatients being at risk of deteriorating and dying, as determined by the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT™).

METHODS

A multicenter cross-sectional observational study was conducted at 17 clinics with 22 GPs. We enrolled all patients aged ≥65 years who visited the GPs in March 2017. We used the Japanese version of the SPICT to identify patients being at risk of deteriorating and dying. We assessed the demographic and clinical characteristics of enrolled patients.

RESULTS

In total, 382 patients with a mean age of 77.4 ± 7.9 years were investigated. Sixty-six patients (17.3%) had ≥2 positive general indicators or ≥1 positive disease-specific indicator in the SPICT-JP. Patients with dementia/frailty, neurological disease, cancer, and kidney disease showed a significantly elevated risk of deteriorating and dying, whereas patients with other specific disease did not. The patients at risk were significantly older and less likely to be living with family at home. They also had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score and a lower Palliative Performance Scale score.

CONCLUSION

Among primary care outpatients aged over 65 years, 17.3% were at risk of deteriorating and dying regardless of their estimated survival time, and many outpatients at risk were not receiving optimal multidisciplinary care.

Use and timing of referral to specialized palliative care services for people with cancer: A mortality follow-back study among treating physicians in Belgium

Background

Referral to specialized palliative care services (SPCS) occurs often late in the illness trajectory but may differ across cancer types. We examined differences between cancer types in the use and timing of referral to specialized palliative care services (SPCS) and in the reasons for non-referral.

Methods

We conducted a population-based mortality follow-back survey among physicians who certified a representative sample of deaths in Flanders, Belgium. We focused only on sampled death cases of cancer (n = 2392). The questionnaire asked about the use of the existing types of SPCS and the timing of referral to these services.

Results

Response rate was 58% (1394/2392). Patients who died from breast, respiratory, head and neck, genitourinary or gastrointestinal cancer had higher chances of using SPCS compared to hematologic cancer patients. The most prevalent reason for non-referral was that regular care sufficiently addressed palliative and supportive care needs (51%). This differed significantly between cancer types ranging from 77,8% for breast cancer and 42.1% for hematologic cancer. A second prevalent reason for not using SPCS was that it was not meaningful (enough) (23.9%), particularly for hematologic malignancies (35,1%) and only in 5.3% for breast cancer.

Conclusion

Differences in referral across different types of cancer were found. Referral is more often delayed or not initiated for patients with hematologic cancer, possibly due to differences in illness trajectory. An influencing reason is that physicians perceive palliative care as not meaningful or not meaningful enough for these patients which may be linked to the uncertainty in the disease trajectory of hematologic malignancies.

Primary palliative care team perspectives on coordinating and managing people with advanced cancer in the community: a qualitative study

Background

Primary health care teams are key to the delivery of care for patients with advanced cancer during the last year of life. The Gold Standards Framework is proposed as a mechanism for coordinating and guiding identification, assessment, and support. There are still considerable variations in practice despite its introduction. The aim of this qualitative study is to improve understanding of variations in practice through exploring the perspectives and experiences of members of primary health care teams involved in the care of patients with advanced cancer.

Methods

Qualitative, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and non-participatory observations involving 67 members of primary health care teams providing palliative care. Data were analysed using a grounded theory approach.

Results

We identified distinct differences in the drivers and barriers of community advanced cancer care coordination, which relate to identification and management, and access to effective pain management, and go some way to understanding variations in practice. These include proactive identification processes, time and resource pressures, unclear roles and responsibilities, poor multidisciplinary working, and inflexible models for referral and prescribing. These provide valuable insight into how professionals work together and independently within an infrastructure that can both support and hinder the provision of effective community palliative care.

Conclusions

Whilst the GSF is a guide for good practice, alone it is not a mechanism for change. Rather it provides a framework for describing quality of practice that was already occurring. Consequently, there will continue to be variations in practice.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12875-018-0861-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Merging current health care trends: innovative perspective in aging care

Current trends in health care delivery and management such as predictive and personalized health care incorporating information and communication technologies, home-based care, health prevention and promotion through patients’ empowerment, care coordination, community health networks and governance represent exciting possibilities to dramatically improve health care. However, as a whole, current health care trends involve a fragmented and scattered array of practices and uncoordinated pilot projects. The present paper describes an innovative and integrated model incorporating and “assembling” best practices and projects of new innovations into an overarching health care system that can effectively address the multidimensional health care challenges related to aging patient especially with chronic health issues. The main goal of the proposed model is to address the emerging health care challenges of an aging population and stimulate improved cost-efficiency, effectiveness, and patients’ well-being. The proposed home-based and community-centered Integrated Healthcare Management System may facilitate reaching the persons in their natural context, improving early detection, and preventing illnesses. The system allows simplifying the health care institutional structures through interorganizational coordination, increasing inclusiveness and extensiveness of health care delivery. As a consequence of such coordination and integration, future merging efforts of current health care approaches may provide feasible solutions that result in improved cost-efficiency of health care services and simultaneously increase the quality of life, in particular, by switching the center of gravity of health delivery to a close relationship of individuals in their communities, making best use of their personal and social resources, especially effective in health delivery for aging persons with complex chronic illnesses.

Professionals' perceptions and current practices of integrated palliative care in chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a qualitative study in Belgium

Background

Patients with Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) and patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) share similar symptom burden with cancer patients, however, they are unlikely to receive palliative care (PC) services. This article examines the perceptions of health care professionals and the current practices of integrated palliative care (IPC) in Belgium.

Methods

Cardiologists and pulmonologists, working in primary care hospitals in Belgium, participated in this study with semi-structured interviews based on IPC indicators. One researcher collected, transcribed verbatim the interviews and carried out their thematic analysis. To increase the reliability of the coding, a second researcher coded a random 30% of the interviews.

Results

A total of 22 CHF/COPD specialists participated in the study. The results show that IPC and its potential benefits are viewed positively. A number of IPC components like the holistic approach (physical, psychological, social, spiritual aspects) via multidisciplinary teams, prognosis discussion and illness limitations, patient goals assessment, continuous goal adjustment, reduction of suffering and advanced care planning are partially implemented in several health centers. However, PC specialists are absent from such implementations and PC is still an end-of-life care.

Conclusions

Misconceptions about PC and its association to death and end-of-life appear to be decisive factors for the exclusion of PC specialists and the late initiation of PC itself. The implementation of IPC components is not associated to PC, and as such, leads to suboptimal results. Improved education and enhanced communication is expected to alleviate existing challenges and thus improve the quality of life for the patients.

Barriers and facilitators for GPs in dementia advance care planning: A systematic integrative review

BACKGROUND

Due to the disease's progressive nature, advance care planning (ACP) is recommended for people with early stage dementia. General practitioners (GPs) should initiate ACP because of their longstanding relationships with their patients and their early involvement with the disease, however ACP is seldom applied.

AIM

To determine the barriers and facilitators faced by GPs related to ACP with people with dementia.

DATA SOURCES

We systematically searched the relevant databases for papers published between January 1995 and December 2016, using the terms: primary healthcare, GP, dementia, and ACP. We conducted a systematic integrative review following Whittemore and Knafl's method. Papers containing empirical data about GP barriers and/or facilitators regarding ACP for people with dementia were included. We evaluated quality using the Mixed-Method-Appraisal-Tool and analyzed data using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Ten qualitative, five quantitative, and one mixed-method paper revealed four themes: timely initiation of ACP, stakeholder engagement, important aspects of ACP the conversation, and prerequisites for ACP. Important barriers were: uncertainty about the timing of ACP, how to plan for an uncertain future, lack of knowledge about dementia, difficulties assessing people with dementia's decisional capacities, and changing preferences. Facilitators for ACP were: an early start when cognitive decline is still mild, inclusion of all stakeholders, and discussing social and medical issues aimed at maintaining normal life.

CONCLUSION

Discussing future care is difficult due to uncertainties about the future and the decisional capacities of people with dementia. Based on the facilitators, we recommend that GPs use a timely and goal-oriented approach and involve all stakeholders. ACP discussions should focus on the ability of people with dementia to maintain normal daily function as well as on their quality of life, instead of end-of-life-discussions only. GPs need training to acquire knowledge and skills to timely initiate collaborative ACP discussions.

Early Identification of Patients in Need of Palliative Care in Slovenian General Practice

Background

To help general practitioners (GPs) in early identification of patients with palliative care (PC) needs, this pilot study aimed to determine the potential of the combined original surprise question (SQ1) ('Would I be surprised if this patient died within the next 12 months?') and the second surprise question (SQ2) ('Would I be surprised if this patient was still alive after 12 months?'). We hypothesized that answering these SQs would trigger them to make a multidimensional care plan.

Methods

26 Slovenian GPs, randomized into 4 groups, were invited to write a care plan for each of the four patients described in case vignettes (2 oncologic, 1 organ failure and 1 frailty case). GPs in group 1 were only asked to write a care plan for each patient. GPs in group 2 answered SQ1 and GPs in groups 3 and 4 answered SQ1 and SQ2 before writing the care plan. The type and number of PC aspects mentioned in the respective care plans were quantified into a numeric RADboud ANTicipatory (RADIANT) score.

Results

Mean RADIANT scores in groups 1-4 were 2.2, 3.6, 2.5 and 3.1, respectively. When comparing the different vignettes, vignette B (terminal oncologic patient) scored best (3.6). Mean RADIANT scores in groups 3 and 4 were slightly higher for GPs who would be surprised compared to GPs who would not be surprised if the patient was still alive in 12 months.

Conclusion

The combined SQs were considered helpful in the early identification of patients in need of PC in Slovenian general practice.

Patients' and carers' perspectives of palliative care in general practice: A systematic review with narrative synthesis

BACKGROUND

General practitioners have overall responsibility for community care, including towards end of life. Current policy places generalists at the centre of palliative care provision. However, little is known about how patients and carers understand the general practitioner's role.

AIMS

To explore patient and carer perspectives of (1) the role of the general practitioner in providing palliative care to adult patients and (2) the facilitators and barriers to the general practitioner's capacity to fulfil this perceived role.

DESIGN

Systematic literature review and narrative synthesis.

DATA SOURCES

Seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, BNI, CINAHL, Cochrane and HMIC) were searched from inception to May 2017. Two reviewers independently screened papers at title, abstract and full-text stages. Grey literature, guideline, hand searches of five journals and reference list/citation searches of included papers were undertaken. Data were extracted, tabulated and synthesised using narrative, thematic analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 25 studies were included: 14 employed qualitative methods, 8 quantitative survey methods and 3 mixed-methods. Five key themes were identified: continuity of care, communication between primary and secondary care, contact and accessibility, communication between general practitioner and patient, and knowledge and competence.

CONCLUSION

Although the terminology and context of general practice vary internationally, themes relating to the perceived role of general practitioners were consistent. General practitioners are considered well placed to provide palliative care due to their breadth of clinical responsibility, ongoing relationships with patients and families, and duty to visit patients at home and coordinate healthcare resources. These factors, valued by service users, should influence future practice and policy development.

How is palliative care understood in the context of dementia? Results from a massive open online course

BACKGROUND

A palliative approach to the care of people with dementia has been advocated, albeit from an emergent evidence base. The person-centred philosophy of palliative care resonates with the often lengthy trajectory and heavy symptom burden of this terminal condition.

AIM

To explore participants' understanding of the concept of palliative care in the context of dementia. The participant population took an online course in dementia.

DESIGN

The participant population took a massive open online course on 'Understanding Dementia' and posted answers to the question: 'palliative care means …' We extracted these postings and analysed them via the dual methods of topic modelling analysis and thematic analysis.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1330 participants from three recent iterations of the Understanding Dementia Massive Open Online Course consented to their posts being used. Participants included those caring formally or informally for someone living with dementia as well as those with a general interest in dementia Results: Participants were found to have a general awareness of palliative care, but saw it primarily as terminal care, focused around the event of death and specialist in nature. Comfort was equated with pain management only. Respondents rarely overtly linked palliative care to dementia.

CONCLUSIONS

A general lack of palliative care literacy, particularly with respect to dementia, was demonstrated by participants. Implications for dementia care consumers seeking palliative care and support include recognition of the likely lack of awareness of the relevance of palliative care to dementia. Future research could access online participants more directly about their understandings/experiences of the relationship between palliative care and dementia.

Information needs about palliative care and euthanasia: A survey of patients in different phases of their cancer trajectory

OBJECTIVE

We assessed information provision and information needs about illness course, treatments, palliative care and euthanasia in cancer patients.

METHODS

Cancer patients consulting a university hospital (N=620) filled out a questionnaire. Their cancer related data were collected through the treating oncologist. This study is performed in Belgium, where "palliative care for all" is a patient's right embedded in the law and euthanasia is possible under certain conditions.

RESULTS

Around 80% received information about their illness course and treatments. Ten percent received information about palliative care and euthanasia. Most information about palliative care and euthanasia was given when the patient had a life expectancy of less than six months. However, a quarter of those in earlier phases in their illness trajectory, particularly those who experienced high pain, fatigue or nausea requested more information on these topics.

CONCLUSION

Many patients want more information about palliative care and euthanasia than what is currently provided, also those in an earlier than terminal phase of their disease.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Healthcare professionals should be more responsive, already from diagnosis, to the information needs about palliative care and possible end-of-life decisions. This should be patient-tailored, as some patients want more and some patients want less information.

Palliative and end of life care in solid organ transplantation

Palliative care is an interprofessional approach that focuses on quality of life of patients who are facing life-threatening illness. Palliative care is consistently associated with improvements in advance care planning, patient and caregiver satisfaction, quality of life, symptom burden, and lower healthcare utilization. Most transplant patients have advanced chronic disease, significant symptom burden, and mortality awaiting transplant. Transplantation introduces new risks including perioperative death, organ rejection, infection, renal insufficiency, and malignancy. Numerous publications over the last decade identify that palliative care is well-suited to support these patients and their caregivers, yet access to palliative care and research within this population are lacking. This review describes palliative care and summarizes existing research supporting palliative intervention in advanced organ failure and transplant populations. A proposed model to provide palliative care in parallel with disease-directed therapy in a transplant program has the potential to improve symptom burden, quality of life, and healthcare utilization. Further studies are needed to elucidate specific benefits of palliative care for this population. In addition, there is a tremendous need for education, specifically for clinicians, patients, and families, to improve understanding of palliative care and its benefits for patients with advanced disease.

Appropriateness and avoidability of terminal hospital admissions: Results of a survey among family physicians

BACKGROUND

Although the acute hospital setting is not considered to be an ideal place of death, many people are admitted to hospital at the end of life.

AIM

To examine what proportion of terminal hospital admissions among their patients family physicians consider to have been avoidable and/or inappropriate; which patient, family physician and admission factors are associated with the perceived inappropriateness or avoidability of terminal hospital admissions; and which interventions could have prevented them, from the perspective of family physicians.

DESIGN

Survey among family physicians, linked to medical record data.

SETTING

Patients who had died non-suddenly in the acute hospital setting of a university hospital in Belgium between January and August 2014.

RESULTS

We received 245 completed questionnaires (response rate 70%) and 77% of those hospital deaths ( n = 189) were considered to be non-sudden. Almost 14% of all terminal hospital admissions were considered to be potentially inappropriate, almost 14% potentially avoidable and 8% both, according to family physicians. The terminal hospital admission was more likely to be considered potentially inappropriate or potentially avoidable for patients who had died of cancer, when the patient's life expectancy at the time of admission was limited, by family physicians who had had palliative care training at basic, postgraduate or post-academic level, and when the admission was initiated by the patient, partner or other family.

CONCLUSION

Timely communication with the patient about their limited life expectancy and the provision of better support to family caregivers may be important strategies in reducing the number of hospital deaths.

Integrating Palliative Care to Promote Earlier Conversations and to Increase the Skill and Comfort of Nonpalliative Care Clinicians: Lessons Learned From an Interventional Field Trial

While the uptake of palliative care in the United States is steadily improving, there continues to be a gap in which many patients are not offered care that explicitly elicits and respects their personal wishes. This is due in part to a mismatch of supply and demand; the number of seriously ill individuals far exceeds the workload capacities of palliative care specialty providers. We conducted a field trial of an intervention designed to promote the identification of seriously ill patients appropriate for a discussion of their goals of care and to advance the role of nonpalliative care clinicians by enhancing their knowledge of and comfort with primary palliative care skills. At 3 large Midwestern academic medical centers, a palliative care physician or nurse clinician embedded with a selected nonpalliative care service line or unit on a regularly scheduled basis for up to 6 months. Using agreed-upon criteria, patients were identified as being appropriate for a goals of care conversation; conversations with those patients and/or their families were then conducted with the palliative care specialist providing education, coaching, and mentoring to the nonpalliative care clinician, when possible. All of the sites increased the presence of palliative care within the selected service line or unit, and the nonpalliative care clinicians reported increased comfort and skill at conducting goals of care conversations. This intervention is a first step toward increasing patients’ access to palliative care to alleviate distress and to more consistently deliver care that honors patient and family preferences.

Differences in place of death between lung cancer and COPD patients: a 14-country study using death certificate data

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer are leading causes of death with comparable symptoms at the end of life. Cross-national comparisons of place of death, as an important outcome of terminal care, between people dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer have not been studied before. We collected population death certificate data from 14 countries (year: 2008), covering place of death, underlying cause of death, and demographic information. We included patients dying from lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regressions to describe patterns in place of death. Of 5,568,827 deaths, 5.8% were from lung cancer and 4.4% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Among lung cancer decedents, home deaths ranged from 12.5% in South Korea to 57.1% in Mexico, while hospital deaths ranged from 27.5% in New Zealand to 77.4% in France. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, the proportion dying at home ranged from 10.4% in Canada to 55.4% in Mexico, while hospital deaths ranged from 41.8% in Mexico to 78.9% in South Korea. Controlling for age, sex, and marital status, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were significantly less likely die at home rather than in hospital in nine countries. Our study found in almost all countries that those dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as compared with those from lung cancer are less likely to die at home and at a palliative care institution and more likely to die in a hospital or a nursing home. This might be due to less predictable disease trajectories and prognosis of death in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Structured palliative care similar to that offered to cancer sufferers should be in place for patients with chronic lung disease. Joachim Cohen at Vrije University in Brussels and co-workers examined international death certificate data collected from 14 countries to determine place of death for patients with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While patients with COPD suffer similar symptoms to lung cancer in their final days, few COPD patients receive palliative care or achieve the common wish of dying at home. This may be partly due to the inherent unpredictability of final-stage COPD compared with lung cancer. Cohen’s team found that, with the exception of Italy, Spain, and Mexico, patients with COPD were significantly more likely to die in hospital than at home. They highlight the need for improved COPD palliative care provision.

Comprehensive and Integrated Palliative Care for People With Advanced Chronic Conditions: An Update From Several European Initiatives and Recommendations for Policy

The number of people in their last years of life with advanced chronic conditions, palliative care needs, and limited life prognosis due to different causes including multi-morbidity, organ failure, frailty, dementia, and cancer is rising. Such people represent more than 1% of the population. They are present in all care settings, cause around 75% of mortality, and may account for up to one-third of total national health system spend. The response to their needs is usually late and largely based around institutional palliative care focused on cancer. There is a great need to identify these patients and integrate an early palliative approach according to their individual needs in all settings, as suggested by the World Health Organization. Several tools have recently been developed in different European regions to identify patients with chronic conditions who might benefit from palliative care. Similarly, several models of integrated palliative care have been developed, some with a public health approach to promote access to all in need. We describe the characteristics of these initiatives and suggest how to develop a comprehensive and integrated palliative approach in primary and hospital care and to design public health and community-oriented practices to assess and respond to the needs in the whole population. Additionally, we report ethical challenges and prognostic issues raised and emphasize the need for research to test the various tools and models to generate evidence about the benefits of these approaches to patients, their families, and to the health system.

Patient-centeredness to anticipate and organize an end-of-life project for patients receiving at-home palliative care: a phenomenological study

Background

The development of end-of-life primary care is a socio-medical and ethical challenge. However, general practitioners (GPs) face many difficulties when initiating appropriate discussion on proactive shared palliative care. Anticipating palliative care is increasingly important given the ageing population and is an aim shared by many countries.

We aimed to examine how French GPs approached and provided at-home palliative care. We inquired about their strategy for delivering care, and the skills and resources they used to devise new care strategies.

Methods

Twenty-one GPs from the South of France recruited by phone according to their various experiences of palliative care agreed to participate. Semi-structured interview transcripts were examined using a phenomenological approach inspired by Grounded theory, and further studied with semiopragmatic analysis.

Results

Offering palliative care was perceived by GPs as a moral obligation. They felt vindicated in a process rooted in the paradigm values of their profession. This study results in two key findings: firstly, their patient-centred approach facilitated the anticipatory discussions of any potential event or intervention, which the GPs openly discussed with patients and their relatives; secondly, this approach contributed to build an “end-of-life project” meeting patients’ wishes and needs. The GPs all shared the idea that the end-of-life process required human presence and recommended that at-home care be coordinated and shared by multi-professional referring teams.

Conclusions

The main tenets of palliative care as provided by GPs are a patient-centred approach in the anticipatory discussion of potential events, personalized follow-up with referring multi-professional teams, and the collaborative design of an end-of-life project meeting the aspirations of the patient and his or her family. Consequently, coordination strategies involving specialized teams, GPs and families should be modelled according to the specificities of each care system.

Physicians' identification of the need for palliative care in people with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND

A growing number of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) is suffering from life-threatening chronic illnesses and is therefore in need for palliative care.

AIMS

We aimed to explore how the need for palliative care is recognized in people with ID.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

We conducted a semi-structured interview study among 10 ID-physicians in the Netherlands.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Identification of people with ID in need for palliative care mostly results from a process in which multiple signals from different information sources converge and lead to a growing awareness. As a result, ID-physicians do not expect people to return to their prior level of health or functioning, but rather expect an irreversible decline leading to death. The presence, stage and prognosis of the disease, physician-patient interaction, and communication with proxies who provide contextual information are factors influencing the process.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Distinctive for a population of people with ID are the frequent diagnostic uncertainty in people with ID, the patients' communicational abilities and the reliance of ID-physicians on close proxies. We argue for a proactive attitude of physicians regarding care and support of people with ID with palliative care needs.

Reasons for End-of-Life Hospital Admissions: Results of a Survey Among Family Physicians

CONTEXT

Although the acute hospital setting is not considered to be an ideal place of death, many people are admitted to hospital at the end of life.

OBJECTIVES

The present study aims to examine the reasons for hospital admissions that result in an expected death and the factors that play a role in the decision to admit to hospital.

METHODS

This was a survey among family physicians (FPs) about those of their patients who had died nonsuddenly in an acute university hospital setting in Belgium between January and August 2014. Questions were asked about the patient's health situation, care that the patient received before the admission, the circumstances of the hospital admission, the reasons necessitating the admission, and other factors that had played a role in the decision to admit the patient to hospital.

RESULTS

We received 245 completed questionnaires (response rate 70%), and 77% of those hospital deaths were considered to be nonsudden. FPs indicated that 55% of end-of-life hospitalizations were for palliative reasons and 26% curative or life-prolonging. Factors such as the patient feeling safer in hospital (35%) or family believing care to be better in hospital (54%) frequently played a role in the end-of-life hospitalization. When patients were admitted with a limited anticipated life expectancy, FPs were more likely to indicate that an inadequate caring capacity of the care setting had played a role in the admission.

CONCLUSION

To reduce the number of hospital deaths, a combination of structural support for out-of-hospital end-of-life care and a more timely referral to out-of-hospital palliative care services may be needed.

Health care professionals' attitudes regarding palliative care for patients with chronic heart failure: an interview study

Background

Even though struggling with similar symptom burden, patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) receive less palliative care than patients suffering from malignant diseases. Researchers have found that this might be related to lack of knowledge about palliative care, insufficient interprofessional communication as well as the cyclic course of disease which makes accurate prognosis difficult. However, research findings have shown that patients with CHF benefit from palliative care. As there are no studies for the German health care system this study aimed to assess health care professionals’ attitudes regarding palliative care of CHF patients in order to identify barriers and facilitators for this patient group and hence to develop recommendations for improvement of CHF patients’ access to palliative care in Germany.

Method

Problem-centered interviews with 23 health care professionals involved in care of CHF patients (nurses: hospital, outpatient, heart failure, PC; physicians: hospital and resident cardiologists, general practitioners) were conducted and analysed according to Mayring’s qualitative content analysis.

Results

Most interviewees perceived a need for palliative care for CHF patients. Regarding barriers patients’, public’s, and professionals’ lack of knowledge of palliative care and CHF; shortcomings in communication and cooperation of different professional groups; inability of cardiology to accept medical limits; difficult prognosis of course of disease; and patients’ concerns regarding palliative care were described. Different attitudes regarding appropriate time of initiation of palliative care for CHF patients (late vs. early) were found. Furthermore, better communication and closer cooperation between different professional groups and medical disciplines as well as better education about palliative care and CHF for professionals, patients, and public were cited.

Conclusions

Palliative care for CHF patients is a neglected topic in both practice and research and should receive more attention. Barriers to palliative care for CHF patients might be overcome by: better education for the public, patients, and professionals, closer cooperation between the different professional groups involved as well as development of a joint agreement regarding the appropriate time to administer palliative care to CHF patients.

Trial registration

DRKS00007119.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12904-016-0149-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Palliative care for patients with heart failure: facilitators and barriers - a cross sectional survey of German health care professionals

Background

Compared to patients with cancer, heart failure patients are seldom candidates for palliative care. Numerous studies have investigated reasons why heart failure patients do not receive palliative care; however, none of these studies have ever evaluated the situation in the German health care setting. This study aims to identify German healthcare providers’ (HCP) perception of barriers and facilitators to palliative care of patients with chronic heart failure.

Methods

We conducted an online-survey with 315 nurses and physicians of different medical disciplines.

Results

Even though heart failure patients’ need of palliative care and its advantages has been recognized, HCP see potential for development and improvement. A lack of knowledge about the content and measures of palliative care, poor communication and unclear responsibilities between medical disciplines, difficulties to determine the right time to initiate palliative care, and the feeling not to be prepared to discuss end-of-life issues with the patient has been identified as barriers. Further, HCP believe that patients and relatives do not possess adequate knowledge about the disease and its progression and are therefore unprepared in asking questions regarding palliative care. They rather tend to demand everything possible to be done in order prolong life, and are reluctant to accept that life is limited. Overall, HCP perceive that dying is a taboo subject within our society placing palliative care on the same level as assisted dying. In addition, results indicate that HCP have an inappropriate notion of ideal medicine fearing to lose patient and are worried about the appropriateness of PC remuneration.

Conclusions

In order to overcome the described barriers, HCP, patients, and relatives need to be educated in palliative care. Information and education encompassing the aim, content and measures of palliative care needs to be provided for all parties in order to optimize patient care, to foster communication between healthcare professionals, patients, and relatives, and to overcome perceived barriers.

Trial registration

DRKS00007119

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1609-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

How Do General Practitioners Conceptualise Advance Care Planning in Their Practice? A Qualitative Study

Objectives

To explore how GPs conceptualise advance care planning (ACP), based on their experiences with ACP in their practice.

Methods

Five focus groups were held with 36 GPs. Discussions were analysed using a constant comparative method.

Results

Four overarching themes in the conceptualisations of ACP were discerned: (1) the organisation of professional care required to meet patients’ needs, (2) the process of preparing for death and discussing palliative care options, (3) the discussion of care goals and treatment decisions, (4) the completion of advance directives. Within these themes, ACP was both conceptualised in terms of content of ACP and/or in terms of tasks for the GP. A specific task that was mentioned throughout the discussion of the four different themes was (5) the task of actively initiating ACP by the GP versus passively waiting for patients’ initiation.

Conclusions

This study illustrates that GPs have varying conceptualisations of ACP, of which some are more limited to specific aspects of ACP. A shared conceptualisation and agreement on the purpose and goals of ACP is needed to ensure successful implementation, as well as a systematic integration of ACP in routine practice that could lead to a better uptake of all the important elements of ACP.

Introducing a model incorporating early integration of specialist palliative care: A qualitative research study of staff's perspectives

BACKGROUND

Palliative care has evolved to encompass early integration, with evaluation of patient and organisational outcomes. However, little is known of staff's experiences and adaptations when change occurs within palliative care services.

AIM

To explore staff experiences of a transition from a service predominantly focused on end-of-life care to a specialist service encompassing early integration.

DESIGN

Qualitative research incorporating interviews, focus groups and anonymous semi-structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using a comparative approach. Service activity data were also aggregated.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

A total of 32 medical, nursing, allied health and administrative staff serving a 22-bed palliative care unit and community palliative service, within a large health service.

RESULTS

Patients cared for within the new model were significantly more likely to be discharged home (7.9% increase, p = 0.003) and less likely to die in the inpatient unit (10.4% decrease, p < 0.001). While early symptom management was considered valuable, nurses particularly found additional skill expectations challenging, and perceived patients' acute care needs as detracting from emotional and end-of-life care demands. Staff views varied on whether they regarded the new model's faster-paced work-life as consistent with fundamental palliative care principles. Less certainty about care goals, needing to prioritise care tasks, reduced shared support rituals and other losses could intensify stress, leading staff to develop personalised coping strategies.

CONCLUSION

Services introducing and researching innovative models of palliative care need to ensure adequate preparation, maintenance of holistic care principles in faster work-paced contexts and assist staff dealing with demands associated with caring for patients at different stages of illness trajectories.

The Prevalence of Inpatients at 33 U.S. Hospitals Appropriate for and Receiving Referral to Palliative Care

BACKGROUND

The extent of unmet need for palliative care in U.S. hospitals remains largely unknown. We conducted a multisite cross-sectional, retrospective point prevalence analysis to determine the size and characteristics of the population of inpatients at 33 U.S. hospitals who were appropriate for palliative care referral, as well as the percentage of these patients who were referred for and/or received palliative care services. We also conducted a qualitative assessment of barriers and facilitators to referral, focusing on organizational characteristics that might influence palliative care referral practices.

METHODS

Patients appropriate for palliative care referral were defined as adult (≥18 years) patients with any diagnosis of a poor-prognosis cancer, New York Heart Association class IV congestive heart failure, or oxygen-dependent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who had inpatient status in 1 of 33 hospitals on May 13, 2014. Qualitative assessment involved interviews of palliative care team members and nonpalliative care frontline providers.

RESULTS

Nearly 19% of inpatients on the point prevalence day were deemed appropriate for palliative care referral. Of these, approximately 39% received a palliative care referral or services. Delivery of palliative care services to these patients varied widely among participating hospitals, ranging from approximately 12% to more than 90%. Factors influencing differences in referral practices included nonstandardized perceptions of referral criteria and variation in palliative care service structures.

CONCLUSION

This study provides useful information to guide providers, administrators, researchers, and policy experts in planning for optimal provision of palliative care services to those in need.