Funding models in palliative care: Lessons from international experience

Creating more comparable cohorts in observational palliative care studies: A proposed framework to improve applicability and replicability of research

BACKGROUND

Palliative care is characterised by heterogeneous patient and caregiver populations who are provided care in different health systems and a research base including a large proportion of observational, mostly retrospective studies. The inherent diversity of palliative care populations and the often inadequate study descriptions challenge the application of new knowledge into practice and reproducibility for confirmatory studies. Being able to define systematically study populations would significantly increase their generalisability and effective translation into practice.

PROPOSAL

Based on an informal consensus process by active palliative care researchers challenged by this problem and a review of the current evidence, we propose an approach to creating more comparable cohorts in observational (non-randomised) palliative care studies that relies on defining the study population in relation to a fixed, well-defined event from which analyses are built ('anchoring'). In addition to providing a detailed and complete description of the study population, anchoring is the critical step in creating more comparable cohorts in observational palliative care studies. Anchoring can be done with respect to a single or multiple data points, and can support both prospective and retrospective data collection and analysis.

DISCUSSION

Anchoring the cohort to reproducible data points will help create more comparable cohorts in palliative care whilst mitigating its inherent heterogeneity. This, in turn, will help optimise the generalisability, applicability and reproducibility of observational palliative care studies to strengthen the evidence base and improve practice.

Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a GRADE approach for evidence evaluation and recommendations by the Italian Association of Medical Oncology

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) accounts for ∼20%-25% of all skin tumors. Its precise incidence is often challenging to determine due to limited statistics and its incorporation with mucosal forms. While most cases have a favorable prognosis, challenges arise in patients presenting with locally advanced or metastatic forms, mainly appearing in immunocompromised patients, solid organ transplantation recipients, or those facing social difficulties. Traditionally, chemotherapy and targeted therapy were the mainstays for advanced cases, but recent approvals of immunotherapeutic agents like cemiplimab and pembrolizumab have revolutionized treatment options. These guidelines, developed by the Italian Association of Medical Oncologists (AIOM) using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach, aim to guide clinicians in diagnosing, treating, and monitoring patients with CSCC, covering key aspects from primitive tumors to advanced stages, selected by a panel of experts selected by AIOM and other national scientific societies. The incorporation of these guidelines into clinical practice is expected to enhance patient care and address the evolving landscape of CSCC management.

Primary palliative care in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of the evidence for models and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Serious health-related suffering is predicted to double in low- and middle-income countries by 2060. Primary care offers the best opportunity to meet Universal Health Coverage in an equitable way. Primary palliative care growth should be evidence-based to ensure provision is feasible, acceptable and culturally congruent.

AIM

To identify the current evidence related to primary palliative care and to describe how primary palliative is defined in this setting, dominant typologies of care and meaningful outcome measures in LMICs.

DESIGN

A systematic review and thematic synthesis was conducted. We described the nature, extent and distribution of published literature on primary palliative care in low- and middle-income countries, use thematic synthesis to characterize typologies of primary palliative care and design a process model for care delivery in low- and middle-income countries.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, Psychinfo, Global Health, Embase and CINAHL.

RESULTS

Thirty-five publications were included. Nearly half took place in Asia (n = 16, 45.7%). We identified five dominant typologies of primary palliative care, including delivery in primary care clinics by multidisciplinary healthcare teams and palliative care specialists, in people's homes by healthcare professionals and volunteers and in tertiary healthcare facilities by generalists. We designed a process model for how these models operate within larger health systems and identified barriers and facilitators to implementing primary palliative care in this context.

CONCLUSION

Evidence supporting primary palliative care in low- and middle-income countries is limited, and much of the published literature comes from Asia and southern Africa. Health systems in low- and middle-income countries have unique strengths and needs that affect primary palliative care services that should guide how services evolve to meet future need.

"Before I came to the hospice, I had nobody". A qualitative exploration of what patients, family-caregivers, clinicians and volunteers valued most about home, day therapy or inpatient hospice services

Background

Globally, the demand for hospice care continues to grow resulting in substantial resource burden. Whilst some countries are able to rely on fixed government contributions, statutory funding for palliative care in the United Kingdom is unequally distributed. These unstable funding streams and increased demand means that hospices need to evidence their value.

Objective

This study explored the experiences of patients and family-caregivers to determine what they valued most from accessing hospice services in Wales.

Methods

In this large multi-site qualitative study, 94 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus groups were conducted with hospice patients (n = 45), family-caregivers (n = 18), hospice staff (n = 31) and volunteers (n = 10). The audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Framework analysis.

Results

Seven themes described patient and family-caregiver experiences and what they valued most: relationships with staff and volunteers, greater support networks which reduced social isolation and loneliness, provision of information and advice which improved patient autonomy, symptom management and subsequent reduction in psychological distress, improvements in patient functionality, mobility and overall physical health and respite relief which promoted improved relationships.

Conclusion

This is the largest study to explore what patients and family-caregivers value from hospice care. Findings indicate that hospice care provides a truly needs-led and strengths-based service to those who are nearing and at the end-of-life, which is highly valued by patients and family members.

The funding of specialised paediatric palliative care in Switzerland: a conceptualisation and modified Delphi study on obstacles and priorities

BACKGROUND

Effective funding models are key for implementing and sustaining critical care delivery programmes such as specialised paediatric palliative care (SPPC). In Switzerland, funding concerns have frequently been raised as primary barriers to providing SPPC in dedicated settings. However, systematic evidence on existing models of funding as well as primary challenges faced by stakeholders remains scarce.

AIMS

The present study's first aim was to investigate and conceptualise the funding of hospital-based consultative SPPC programmes in Switzerland. Its second aim was to identify obstacles to and priorities for funding these programmes sustainably.

METHODS

 A 4-step process, including a document analysis, was used to conceptualise the funding of hospital-based consultative SPPC programmes in Switzerland. In consultation with a purposefully selected panel of experts in the subject, a 3-round modified Delphi study was conducted to identify funding-relevant obstacles and priorities regarding SPPC.

RESULTS

Current funding of hospital-based consultative specialised paediatric palliative care programmes is complex and fragmented, combining funding from public, private and charitable sources. Overall, 21 experts participated in the first round of the modified Delphi study, 19 in round two and 15 in round three. They identified 23 obstacles and 29 priorities. Consensus (>70%) was obtained for 12 obstacles and 22 priorities. The highest level of consensus (>90%) was achieved for three priorities: the development of financing solutions to ensure long-term funding of SPPC programmes; the provision of funding and support for integrated palliative care; and sufficient reimbursement of inpatient service costs in the context of high-deficit palliative care patients.

CONCLUSION

Decision- and policy-makers hoping to further develop and expand SPPC in Switzerland should be aware that current funding models are highly complex and that SPPC funding is impeded by many obstacles. Considering the steadily rising prevalence of children with life-limiting conditions and the proven benefits of SPPC, improvements in funding models are urgently needed to ensure that the needs of this highly vulnerable population are adequately met.

Validation of a culturally adapted Swedish-language version of the Death Literacy Index

The death literacy index (DLI) was developed in Australia to measure death literacy, a set of experience-based knowledge needed to understand and act on end-of-life (EOL) care options but has not yet been validated outside its original context. The aim of this study was to develop a culturally adapted Swedish-language version of the DLI, the DLI-S, and assess sources of evidence for its validity in a Swedish context. The study involved a multi-step process of translation and cultural adaptation and two validation phases: examining first content and response process validity through expert review (n = 10) and cognitive interviews (n = 10); and second, internal structure validity of DLI-S data collected from an online cross-sectional survey (n = 503). The psychometric evaluation involved analysis of descriptive statistics on item and scale-level, internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and confirmatory factor analysis. During translation and adaptation, changes were made to adjust items to the Swedish context. Additional adjustments were made following findings from the expert review and cognitive interviews. The content validity index exceeded recommended thresholds (S-CVIAve = 0.926). The psychometric evaluation provided support for DLI-S' validity. The hypothesized six-factor model showed good fit (χ2 = 1107.631 p<0.001, CFI = 0.993, TLI = 0.993, RMSEA = 0.064, SRMR = 0.054). High internal consistency reliability was demonstrated for the overall scale (Cronbach's α = 0.94) and each sub-scale (α 0.81-0.92). Test-retest reliability was acceptable, ICC ranging between 0.66-0.85. Through a comprehensive assessment of several sources of evidence, we show that the DLI-S demonstrates satisfactory validity and acceptability to measure death literacy in the Swedish context. There are, however, indications that the sub-scales measuring community capacity perform worse in comparison to other sca and may function differently in Sweden than in the original context. The DLI-S has potential to contribute to research on community-based EOL interventions.

The compassionate communities connectors program: effect on healthcare usage

Background

Public health approaches to palliative and end-of-life care focus on enhancing the integration of services and providing a comprehensive approach that engages the assets of local communities. However, few studies have evaluated the relative costs and benefits of providing care using these service models.

Objectives

To assess the effect on healthcare usage of a community-based palliative care program ('Compassionate Communities Connectors') where practical and social support was delivered by community volunteers to people living with advanced life-limiting illnesses in regional Western Australia.

Design

Controlled before-and-after study/Cost-consequence analysis.

Methods

A total of 43 community-based patients participated in the program during the period 2020-2022. A comparator population of 172 individuals with advanced life-limiting illnesses was randomly selected from usage data from the same set of health services.

Results

Relative to controls, the intervention group had lower hospitalizations per month [Incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.37; 95% CI: 0.18-0.77, p = 0.007], less hospital days per month (IRR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.11-0.49, p < 0.001) and less emergency presentations (IRR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.34-0.94, p = 0.028. The frequency of outpatient contacts overall was two times higher for the intervention group (IRR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.11-3.86, p = 0.022), indicating the Connector program may have shifted individuals away from the hospital system and toward community-based care. Estimated net savings of $AUD 518,701 would be achieved from adopting the Connector program, assuming enrollment of 100 patients over an average 6-month participation period.

Conclusion

This combined healthcare usage and economic analysis of the 'Compassionate Communities Connectors' program demonstrates the benefits of optimizing palliative care services using home-based and community-centered interventions, with gains for the health system through improved patient outcomes and reduced total healthcare costs (including fewer hospitalizations and readmissions). These findings, coupled with the other published results, suggest that investment in the Connectors program has the capacity to reduce net health sector expenditure while also improving outcomes for people with life-limiting illnesses.

Trial Registration

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry: ACTRN12620000326998.

What If… Caregivers' Subsequent Workforce Participation Was a Measure of Palliative Care Services' Impact? An Hypothesis-Generating Study

Background: Hospice/palliative care emphasizes excellent care for patients, but what about longer-term caregiver outcomes after their caregiving role? What is the role of services in working to ensure that caregivers can re-engage with all aspects of life, including paid employment given that this is an identified stressor for caregivers? Aim: This hypothesis-generating study aimed to explore self-reported, post-care workforce participation, and any association with hospice/palliative care contact. Design: Cross-sectional random population interviews. Setting/Participants: People in the general population were randomly selected for face-to-face interviews about well-being including end-of-life care in South Australia. Questions included experiences of people dying an expected death and whether interviewees provided care. Demographic data included current workforce participation. A regression model explored associations with workforce participation. Results: Of 8945 interviews over three years, 171 participants aged 20-60 years (working age) provided intermittent hands-on care: two in five were men and two in three had qualifications beyond high school; one in two decedents had accessed palliative care services. Reflecting the bivariable analyses, logistic regression models showed associations with workforce participation and: being male (odds ratio [OR] 6.71); use of palliative care services (OR 4.85); and higher levels of education (OR 3.54). Conclusion: An association between workforce participation after caregiving ceased and the use of palliative care services was described, controlling for key factors. Reasons may include continued working, greater rates of return to work, earlier return to work or that people in the workforce are more likely to access services.

The Nature and Types of Community Palliative and end-of-Life Care Services: A Content Analysis of Service Provider Websites in Hong Kong

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the nature and types of community palliative and end-of-life care (PEoLC) services in Hong Kong in order to inform future service development.

METHODS

This cross-sectional descriptive study systematically searched the eligible websites of service providers concerning community PEoLC services for patients and their family caregivers using the Hong Kong version of the Google Search engine in August 2021. Search terms included different traditional Chinese translations of palliative care, end-of- lifecare, and hospice care. For the included websites, information regarding the characteristics and types of PEoLC services were extracted and coded using content analysis.

RESULTS

Sixteen websites providing community PEoLC services were included in this analysis, which were almost all provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Around half of the service providers targeted the geriatric group and served the population in some major geographic areas and districts only. Ten types of services were identified, including (1) information and advice; (2) psychological support; (3) dying and bereavement care; (4) spiritual support; (5) medical and nursing care; (6) leisure and social well-being activities; (7) support with household and other practical tasks; (8) referral resources; (9) financial support; and (10) caregiving skills training.

CONCLUSION

Existing community PEoLC services in Hong Kong are provided mainly by NGOs, with a focus on comprehensive care for patients in some areas and districts but few support services for caregivers. There is a need for continued efforts to optimize the PEoLC services to support patients and caregivers locally.

Cost and reimbursement analysis of end-of-life cancer inpatients. The case of the Greek public healthcare sector

BACKGROUND

While hospital-based Palliative Care services are usually covered through the main funding healthcare framework, traditional reimbursement methods have been criticized for their appropriateness. The present study investigates for the first time the case of treating end-of-life cancer patients in a Greek public hospital in terms of cost and reimbursement.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study used health administrative data of 135 deceased cancer patients who were hospitalized in the end of their lives. Following the cost estimation procedure, which indentified both the individual patient and overhead costs, we compared the relevant billing data and reimbursement requests to the estimated costs.

RESULTS

The average total cost per patient per day was calculated to be 97 EUR, with equal participation of individual patient's and overhead costs. Length of stay was identified as the main cost driver. Reimbursement was performed either by per-diem fees or by Diagnosis Related Groups' (DRGs), which were correspondingly associated with under or over reimbursement risks. In the case of the combined use of the two available reimbursement alternatives a cross-subsidization phenomenon was described.

CONCLUSION

Although the cost of end-of-life care proved to be quite low, the national per-diem rate fails to cover it. DRGs designed for acute care needs are rather unsuitable for such sub acute hospitalizations.

POLICY SUMMARY

There is a concrete need for reconsidering the current reimbursement schemes for this group of patients as part of any national plan concerning the integration and reformation of Palliative Care services. Otherwise, there is a serious danger for public institutions' reluctance to admit them with a serious impact on access and equity of end-of-life cancer care.

Quality of end-of-life care in general practice – a pre–post comparison of a two-tiered intervention

Background

General practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in the provision of end-of-life care (EoLC). The present study aimed at comparing the quality of GPs’ EoLC before and after an intervention involving a clinical decision aid and a public campaign.

Methods

The study was part of the larger interventional study ‘Optimal care at the end of life’ (OPAL) (Innovation Fund, Grant No. 01VSF17028). The intervention lasted 12 months and comprised two components: (1) implementation of the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT-DE™) in general practice and (2) a public campaign in two German counties to inform and connect regional health care providers and stakeholders in EoLC. Participating GPs completed the General Practice End of Life Care Index (GP-EoLC-I) pre- (t0) and post- (t1) intervention. The GP-EoLC-I (25 items, score range: 14–40) is a self-assessment questionnaire that measures the quality of GPs’ EoLC. It includes two subscales: practice organisation and clinical practice. Data were analysed descriptively, and a paired t-test was applied for the pre–post comparison.

Results

Forty-five GPs (female: 29%, median age: 57 years) from 33 general practices participated in the intervention and took part in the survey at both times of measurement (t0 and t1). The mean GP-EoLC-I score (t0 = 27.9; t1 = 29.8) increased significantly by 1.9 points between t0 and t1 (t(44) = − 3.0; p = 0.005). Scores on the practice organisation subscale (t0 = 6.9; t1 = 7.6) remained almost similar (t(44) = -2.0; p = 0.057), whereas those of the clinical practice subscale (t0 = 21.0; t1 = 22.2) changed significantly between t0 and t1 (t(44) = -2.6; p = 0.011). In particular, items regarding the record of care plans, patients’ preferred place of care at the end of life and patients’ preferred place of death, as well as the routine documentation of impending death, changed positively.

Conclusions

GPs’ self-assessed quality of EoLC seemed to improve after a regional intervention that involved both the implementation of the SPICT-DE™ in daily practice and a public campaign. In particular, improvement related to the domains of care planning and documentation.

Trial registration

The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00015108; 22/01/2019).

Charitably funded hospices and the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study (CovPall)

Background

Independent charitably funded hospices have been an important element of the UK healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospices usually have different funding streams, procurement processes, and governance arrangements compared to NHS provision, which may affect their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to understand the challenges faced by charitably funded hospices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Eligible Organisations providing specialist palliative or hospice care completed the online CovPall survey (2020) which explored their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible organisations were then purposively selected to participate in interviews as part of qualitative case studies (2020-21) to understand challenges in more depth. Free-text responses from the survey were analysed using content analysis and were categorised accordingly. These categorisations were used a priori for a reflexive thematic analysis of interview data.

Results

143 UK independent charitably funded hospices completed the online CovPall survey. Five hospices subsequently participated in qualitative case studies (n = 24 staff interviews). Key themes include: vulnerabilities of funding; infection control during patient care; and bereavement support provision. Interviewees discussed the fragility of income due to fundraising events stopping; the difficulties of providing care to COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients within relatively small organisations; and challenges with maintaining the quality of bereavement services.

Conclusion

Some unique care and provision challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic were highlighted by charitably funded hospices. Funding core services charitably and independently may affect their ability to respond to pandemics, or scenarios where resources are unexpectedly insufficient.

Longitudinal patterns and predictors of healthcare utilization among cancer patients on home-based palliative care in Singapore: a group-based multi-trajectory analysis

BACKGROUND

Home-based palliative care (HPC) is considered to moderate the problem of rising healthcare utilization of cancer patients at end-of-life. Reports however suggest a proportion of HPC patients continue to experience high care intensity. Little is known about differential trajectories of healthcare utilization in patients on HPC. Thus, we aimed to uncover the heterogeneity of healthcare utilization trajectories in HPC patients and identify predictors of each utilization pattern.

METHODS

This is a cohort study of adult cancer patients referred by Singapore Health Services to HCA Hospice Service who died between 1st January 2018 and 31st March 2020. We used patient-level data to capture predisposing, enabling, and need factors for healthcare utilization. Group-based multi-trajectory modelling was applied to identify trajectories for healthcare utilization based on the composite outcome of emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalization, and outpatient visits.

RESULTS

A total of 1572 cancer patients received HPC (median age, 71 years; interquartile range, 62-80 years; 51.1% female). We found three distinct trajectory groups: group 1 (31.9% of cohort) with persistently low frequencies of healthcare utilization, group 2 (44.1%) with persistently high frequencies, and group 3 (24.0%) that begin with moderate frequencies, which dropped over the next 9 months before increasing in the last 3 months. Predisposing (age, advance care plan completion, and care preferences), enabling (no medical subsidy, primary decision maker), and need factors (cancer type, comorbidity burden and performance status) were significantly associated with group membership. High symptom needs increased ED visits and hospitalizations in all three groups (ED visits, group 1-3: incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.74-6.85; hospitalizations, group 1-3: IRR 1.69-6.60). High home visit intensity reduced outpatient visits in all three groups (group 1-3 IRR 0.54-0.84), while it contributed to reduction of ED visits (IRR 0.40; 95% CI 0.25-0.62) and hospitalizations (IRR 0.37; 95% CI 0.24-0.58) in group 2.

CONCLUSIONS

This study on HPC patients highlights three healthcare utilization trajectories with implications for targeted interventions. Future efforts could include improving advance care plan completion, supporting care preferences in the community, proactive interventions among symptomatic high-risk patients, and stratification of home visit intensity.

Engagement of specialized palliative care services with the general public: A population-level survey in three European countries

BACKGROUND

There is growing recognition of a need for community capacity development around serious illness, dying and loss, complementary to strategies focussing on health services. Hitherto, little is known about how and to what extent palliative care services in different countries are adopting these ideas in their practices.

AIM

To examine views towards and actual involvement in community engagement activities as reported by specialized palliative care services in Belgium, Sweden and the UK.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS

Cross-sectional survey among all eligible specialized palliative care services in Flanders (Belgium) (n = 50), Sweden (n = 129) and the UK (n = 245). Representatives of these services were invited to complete an online questionnaire about their actual activities with the general public and their attitudes regarding such activities.

RESULTS

Response rates were 90% (Belgium), 71% (Sweden) and 49% (UK). UK services more often reported engaging with the general public to develop knowledge and skills through a range of activities (80%-90%) compared to Belgian (31%-71%) and Swedish services (19%-38%). Based on a combination of engagement activities 74% of UK services could be labelled as extending their focus beyond the clinical mandate compared to 16% in Belgium and 7% in Sweden. Services' dependency on charitable donations was strongly associated with increased engagement with the general public.

CONCLUSION

An expansion of the mandate of specialized palliative care services beyond a traditional clinically-oriented focus towards one inclusive of community capacity building around serious illness, dying and loss is occurring in different countries, albeit to different degrees and with different intensities.

Developing a Model for the Establishment of the Hospice Care Delivery System for Iranian Adult Patients With Cancer

Introduction

Making appropriate plans for the provision of hospice care is considered a perceived need in the Iranian health system. The current study aimed to develop a model for establishing hospice care delivery system for the adult patients with cancer.

Materials and Methods

This study is part (data of the third and fourth phases) of a larger study that has been done in four phases. This Health System Policy Research (HSPR) utilized a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach. At the first phase, a qualitative study was conducted which explained the care needs and the requirements for establishing this system from the stakeholders' perspective (directed content analysis). The second phase aimed to examine the current situation of hospice care delivery in Iran and identify and determine the similarities and differences among them in the selected countries (comparative study). At the third phase, the main areas of the model and the related indicators were extracted and prioritized by consulting with experts (Delphi survey). Then the model was formulated. At the fourth phase, the proposed model was validated and finalized in terms of importance, scientific acceptability, and feasibility.

Results

Based on the developed model the first and the most important step in establishing the hospice care delivery system is laying the groundwork in the health system which requires focusing on policymaking. It is necessary to establish hospice centers and implement public awareness raising programs, train, and supply expert manpower, strengthen family physician and referral process, formulate clinical guidelines, encourage the private sector and NGOs(Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).) to invest, develop end-of-life and hospice care service packages, and create quality care indicators. The proposed model had moderate feasibility.

Conclusion

This model was developed based on the current Iranian healthcare structure and the needs of terminally ill cancer patients. It can be used as a model tailored to the current state of the health system and community in Iran. It is suggested to use this model as a pilot at the regional level.

Does a Hospital Palliative Care Team Have the Potential to Reduce the Cost of a Terminal Hospitalization? A Retrospective Case-Control Study in a Czech Tertiary University Hospital

Background:

More than 50% of patients worldwide die in hospitals and end-of-life care is costly. We aimed to explore whether support from the palliative team can influence end-of-life costs.

Methods:

This was a descriptive retrospective case–control study conducted at a Czech tertiary hospital. We explored the difference in daily hospital costs between patients who died with and without the support of the hospital palliative care team from January 2019 to April 2020. Big data from registries of routine visits were used for case–control matching. As secondary outcomes, we compared the groups over the duration of the terminal hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) days, intravenous antibiotics, magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography scans, oncological treatment in the last month of life, and documentation of the dying phase. Standard descriptive statistics were used to describe the data, and differences between the case and control groups were tested using Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and the Mann–Whitney U test for numerical data.

Results:

In total, 213 dyads were identified. The average daily costs were three times lower in the palliative group (4392.4 CZK per day = 171.3 EUR) than in the nonpalliative group (13992.8 CZK per day = 545.8 EUR), and the difference was probably associated with the shorter time spent in the ICU (16% vs. 33% of hospital days).

Conclusions:

We showed that the integration of the palliative care team in the dying phase can be cost saving. These data could support the implementation of hospital palliative care in developing countries.

Key concepts and opportunities

Neuropalliative care is an emerging field dedicated to applying palliative care approaches to meet the needs of persons living with neurologic illness and their families. The development of this field acknowledges the unique needs of this population, including in terms of neuropsychiatric symptoms, the impact of neurologic illness on personhood, and the logistics of managing neurologic disability. In defining the goals of this field, it is important to distinguish between neuropalliative care as an approach to care, as a skillset, as a medical subspecialty, and as a public health goal as each of these constructs offers their own contributions and opportunities. As a newly emerging field, there are nearly unlimited opportunities to improve care through research, clinical care, education, and advocacy.

End-of-life and hospice care for neurologic illness

Systems for end of life care around the world vary in availability, structure, and funding. When available, most end of life care is in the hospice model with an interdisciplinary team approach to care of people who are expected to die within months and whose primary goal is to maximize quality of life. Symptom management near the end of life is guided by prognosis and individual priorities. People dying with neurologic disease are likely to have impaired communication or mobility that adds to the complexity of prognostication and symptom management. Neurologic specialists have important roles to play in end of life care due to their unique understanding of disease prognosis as well as end of life symptom burden and management. Neurologic specialists need to become strong advocates for the importance of end of life care by being actively involved in the hospice movement and by addressing current disparities in access to care.

Making community palliative and end-of-life care sustainable; investigating the adaptability of rural Australian service provision

With the increased attention and demand on community-based palliative and end-of-life (EOL) care services comes the question of how to ensure their sustainability. Sustainability has three key attributes: acceptability, affordability and adaptability. Having established the acceptability and affordability of the community-based service, this paper focussed on adaptability, as the remaining issue affecting long-term sustainability. The aim of this study was to identify components of the palliative and EOL service which require adaptability to ensure long-term sustainability for the service. A mixed methods approach was used for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with family members. Semi-structured focus groups and interviews were held with health professionals. Patient data were included to describe frequency and nature of contacts. The results were analysed using descriptive analysis. The setting was a rural town in Victoria, Australia. Nine family members were interviewed, and 16 health professionals were interviewed or took part in a focus group. Patient data included 121 participants. Four themes were identified: the uniqueness of the patient, workforce issues, collaboration between services and symptom and pain management. All themes indicated that the palliative and EOL service faces challenges which may threaten the sustainability of the service and require adaptability. Families regard palliative and EOL care as special and valued, and appreciate the endeavour, care and support taken to assist their loved one to die with dignity regardless of the location and setting. With sufficient attention paid to the adaptability of the service, community palliative and EOL care service can become more sustainable, thus offering choice and dignity for people approaching the end of life.

Palliative and End-of-Life Care Service Models: To What Extent Are Consumer Perspectives Considered?

This article presents evidence found in a search of national and international literature for patient preferences concerning settings in which to receive palliative care and the appropriateness of different models of palliative care. The purpose was to inform end-of-life care policy and service development of the Western Australian Department of Health through a rapid review of the literature. It was found that consumer experience of palliative care is investigated poorly, and consumer contribution to service and policy design is limited and selective. Most patients experience a mix of settings during their illness, and evidence found by the review has more to do with qualities and values that will contribute to good end-of-life care in any location. Models of care do not make systematic use of the consumer data that are available to them, although an increasingly common theme is the need for integration of the various sources of care supporting dying people. It is equally clear that most integration models limit their attention to end-of-life care provided by health services. Transitions between settings merit further attention. We argue that models of care should take account of consumer experience not by incorporating generalised evidence but by co-creating services with local communities using a public health approach.

Attitudes and practices towards palliative care in chronic heart failure: a survey of cardiovascular nurses and physicians

BACKGROUND

Heart failure is a chronic condition with various implications for individuals and families. Although the importance of implementing palliative care is recommended in best practice guidelines, implementation strategies are less clear.

AIMS

This study sought to; (1) determine Australian and New Zealand cardiovascular nurses and physicians' end of life care attitudes and specialist palliative care referral in heart failure and; (2) determine self-reported delivery of supportive care and attitudes towards service names.

METHODS

An electronic survey was emailed to members of four peak bodies and professional networks. Participants were also recruited through social media. Paper-based versions of the survey were completed by attendees of the 66th Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting, August 2018.

FINDINGS

There were 113 completed responses included in the analyses. Participants were nurses (n = 75), physicians (n = 32) and allied health professionals (n = 4). Most (67%) reported they were comfortable with providing end of life care; however, fewer respondents agreed they received support for their dying patients and one-third experienced a sense of failure when heart failure progressed. Most (84-100%) participants agreed they would refer a heart failure patient later in the illness trajectory. There was a more favourable attitude towards the service name 'supportive care' than to 'palliative care'.

CONCLUSION

Comfort with end of life discussions is encouraging as it may lead to a greater likelihood of planning future care and identifying palliative care needs. Peer support and supervision may be useful for addressing feelings of failure. The use of needs-based assessment tools, adopting the service name 'supportive care' and further research focusing on primary palliative team-based approach is required to improve palliative care access.

IMPACT STATEMENT

Cardiovascular nurses and physicians are comfortable providing end of life care, but referrals to palliative care in the later stages of heart failure persists.

Models of Integration of Specialized Palliative Care with Oncology

OPINION STATEMENT

Evidence from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses has shown that early integration of specialized palliative care improves symptoms and quality of life for patients with advanced cancer. There are various models of early integration, which may be classified based on setting of care and method of palliative care referral. Most successful randomized controlled trials of early palliative care have used a model of specialized teams providing in-person palliative care in free-standing or embedded outpatient clinics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has become a prominent model for palliative care delivery. This model of care has been well received by patients and palliative care providers, although evidence to date is limited. Despite evidence from trials that routine early integration of palliative care into oncology care improves patient outcomes, referral to palliative care still occurs mostly according to the judgment of individual oncologists. This hinders equitable access to palliative care and to its known benefits for patients and their caregivers. Automated referral based on triggering criteria is being actively explored as an alternative. In particular, routine technology-assisted symptom screening, combined with targeted needs-based automatic referral to outpatient palliative care, may improve integration and ultimately increase quality of life.

Access to and adequacy of psychological services for adult patients in UK hospices: a national, cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Providing psychological support to people living with terminal illness is a fundamental part of hospice care. Recent research on delivery of psychological services in hospices in the United Kingdom (UK) on a national level, including inequalities or variation in practice, is limited. A nationwide survey will highlight any differences in provision and in doing so help focus future research and inform best practice both within the UK, and internationally. The specific objectives of this survey are to (1) chart the types of psychological support available to adult patients in hospices in the UK in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence model; (2) explore how services are organised; and (3) gather service perspectives on adequacy of care, and facilitators and barriers to appropriate practice.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey emailed to adult hospices in the UK in November-December 2019. One staff member involved in the delivery and/or organisation of psychological support was invited to participate per hospice. Of 193 invited hospices, 116 took part.

RESULTS

Sixteen percent rated their hospice psychological service as wholly adequate. The majority reported that services can access specialist professionals, but many relied on external referrals. Barriers to best practice included funding and staff capacity; facilitators included clear referral structures, audit and appropriate needs and outcome assessments.

CONCLUSIONS

Access to psychological professionals has improved since the last survey 15 years ago, but the majority of responders felt their overall service was not wholly adequate. Basic emotional support is largely felt to be sufficient, but our results indicate a need for improvements in access to more specialist care. Partnerships with external mental health services may be key. Our findings highlight core facilitators and barriers to providing good psychological care at the end of life that should be considered by services both within the UK and on an international level.

Assessing Face Validity of the HexCom Model for Capturing Complexity in Clinical Practice: A Delphi Study

Capturing complexity is both a conceptual and a practical challenge in palliative care. The HexCom model has proved to be an instrument with strong reliability and to be valid for describing the needs and strengths of patients in home care. In order to explore whether it is also perceived to be helpful in enhancing coordinated and patient-centred care at a practical level, a methodological study was carried out to assess the face validity of the model. In particular, a Delphi method involving a group of 14 experts representing the full spectrum of healthcare professionals involved in palliative care was carried out. The results show that there is a high level of agreement, with a content validity index-item greater than 0.92 both with regard to the complexity model and the HexCom-Red, HexCom-Basic, and the HexCom-Clin instruments, and higher than 0.85 regarding the HexCom-Figure and the HexCom-Patient instruments. This consensus confirms that the HexCom model and the different instruments that are derived from it are valued as useful tools for a broad range of healthcare professional in coordinately capturing complexity in healthcare practice.

Lessons Learned from Countries That Have Introduced Palliative Care Services into Their National Health System: A Narrative Review

OBJECTIVE

This review aims at gaining a broad overview of national approaches about Palliative care (PC) implementation into health care systems in countries that have PC identified within their national policies and strategies.

METHODS

Paper searching was conducted using both peer-reviewed databases and gray literature sources covering governmental reports with PC strategies from 2000 onward. Articles published in English that cited at least 1 category of the WHO's public health PC model were included. Qualitative content analysis was used for data analysis and synthesis of findings.

RESULTS

Thirteen reports met the inclusion criteria. Education and appropriate policies were the most frequent strategies covered by all countries included. Under education; information about training health care providers was needed for the effective introduction of a PC program. Reviewing standards of care required to deliver PC effectively, and financial support for PC service development were considered the central policies needed. Furthermore, partnerships and collaborations across the health systems as well as providing care based on patients' needs were required for the provision of a PC program.

CONCLUSION

It is of the essence to learn from countries demonstrating enhanced PC practices before the implementation of a new PC program in a given country. Such practices could be used as a guide and to address barriers that may hinder the development of PC at a national level. Best practices can be achieved by focusing on educational and policy-based strategies through identifying patients' needs, assessing general public awareness, health care providers' knowledge and training as well as incorporating stakeholders' perspectives.

National Trends in Hospice Facility Deaths in the United States, 2003-2017

CONTEXT

Hospice facilities are increasingly preferred as a location of death, but little is known about the characteristics of patients who die in these facilities in the U.S.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to examine the trends and factors associated with death in a hospice facility.

METHODS

Retrospective cross-sectional study using mortality data for years 2003-2017 for deaths attributed to natural causes in the U.S.

RESULTS

The proportion of natural deaths occurring in hospice facilities increased from 0.2% in 2003 to 8.3% in 2017, resulting in nearly 1.7 million deaths during this time frame. Females had increased odds of hospice facility deaths (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.05). Nonwhite race was associated with lower odds of hospice facility death (black [OR = 0.915; 95% CI = 0.890, 0.940]; Native American [OR = 0.559; 95% CI = 0.515, 0.607]; and Asian [OR = 0.655; 95% CI = 0.601, 0.713]). Being married was associated with hospice facility death (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.07). Older age was associated with increased odds of hospice facility death (85 and older [OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.39, 1.41]). Having at least some college education was associated with increased odds of hospice facility death (OR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.15). Decedents from cardiovascular disease had the lowest odds of hospice facility death (OR = 0.278; 95% CI = 0.274, 0.282).

CONCLUSION

Hospice facility deaths increased among all patient groups; however, striking differences exist by age, sex, race, marital status, education level, cause of death, and geography. Factors underlying these disparities should be examined.

Quality indicators for the evaluation of end-of-life care in Germany - a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of statutory health insurance data

Background

The provision and quality of end-of-life care (EoLC) in Germany is inconsistent. Therefore, an evaluation of current EoLC based on quality indicators is needed. This study aims to evaluate EoLC in Germany on the basis of quality indicators pertaining to curative overtreatment, palliative undertreatment and delayed palliative care (PC). Results were compared with previous findings.

Methods

Data from a statutory health insurance provider (AOK Lower Saxony) pertaining to deceased members in the years 2016 and 2017 were used to evaluate EoLC. The main indicators were: chemotherapy for cancer patients in the last month of life, first-time percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) for patients with dementia in the last 3 months of life, number of hospitalisations and days spent in inpatient treatment in the last 6 months of life, and provision of generalist and specialist outpatient PC in the last year of life. Data were analysed descriptively.

Results

Data for 64,275 deceased members (54.3% female; 35.1% cancer patients) were analysed. With respect to curative overtreatment, 10.4% of the deceased with cancer underwent chemotherapy in the last month and 0.9% with dementia had a new PEG insertion in the last 3 months of life. The mean number of hospitalisations and inpatient treatment days per deceased member was 1.6 and 16.5, respectively, in the last 6 months of life. Concerning palliative undertreatment, generalist outpatient PC was provided for 28.0% and specialist outpatient PC was provided for 9.0% of the deceased. Regarding indicators for delayed PC, the median onset of generalist and specialist outpatient PC was 47.0 and 24.0 days before death, respectively.

Conclusion

Compared to data from 2010 to 2014, the data analysed in the present study suggest an ongoing curative overtreatment in terms of chemotherapy and hospitalisation, a reduction in new PEG insertions and an increase in specialist PC. The number of patients receiving generalist PC remained low, with delayed onset. Greater awareness of generalist PC and the early integration of PC are recommended.

Trial registration

The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00015108; 22 January 2019).

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12904-020-00679-x.

Health Care Provider Barriers to Patient Referral to Palliative Care

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to explore healthcare provider-perceived challenges to HBPC patient referral and elicited providers’ feedback for overcoming these challenges.

Methods:

We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 25 Medicaid managed care providers (primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and care managers) working in the greater Los Angeles area. Our interview protocol elicited providers’ knowledge and awareness of palliative care; perceived barriers to HBPC referral; and suggestions for overcoming these barriers. We analyzed verbatim transcripts using a grounded theory approach.

Results:

Themes related to referral barriers included providers’ lack of palliative care knowledge and clarity regarding referral processes, provider reluctance to refer to HBPC, and provider culture. Providers also identified patient-level barriers, including financial barriers, reluctance to have home visits, health literacy, cultural barriers, and challenges related to living situations. Themes related to methods for overcoming challenges included increased HBPC education and outreach to providers, specifically by HBPC agency staff.

Conclusions:

Findings from this study underscore the need for additional palliative care education for Medicaid healthcare providers. They point to the need for novel strategies and approaches to address the myriad barriers to patient identification and referral to HBPC.

Care Coordination in Palliative Home Care: Who Plays the Key Role?

Background:

Clearly identified professionals who are appointed for care coordination are invaluable for ensuring efficient coordination of health care services. However, challenges to identifying roles in palliative care are well documented in literature. Notably, in order to meet high demands on palliative home care settings, many care practitioners perform tasks that surpass the responsibilities and regulations of their role, including care coordination. Without clearly defined roles, standards of care cannot be guaranteed. Yet, little is understood about who plays the key role in palliative home care.

Aim:

The present study aims to address the gap in the research by identifying who plays a key role in coordination in palliative home care.

Methods:

Interviews with general practitioners (GPs), nurses and relatives of palliative patients were carried out in Swiss cantons (Vaud, Ticino, Luzern and Basel) to identify key coordinators of care. Interviews were analyzed using content analysis and presented using grounded theory.

Results:

Findings indicated that there was considerable ambiguity of the key coordinator role. 1) Causal conditions of this phenomenon were; informality of professional roles and lack of communication between team members, 2) Consequences of this included; conflicting understandings of key coordinator role and family members feeling overburdened, 3) Strategies adopted by interviewees included; adapting or taking control of care coordination. These findings are highly indicative of areas for improvement for care coordination in palliative home care settings. Specifically, they underline a profound need for clear communication between palliative care service providers regarding which professionals assume a key coordative role, or who are delegated a coordinative role at any given time. Crucially, since the findings reveal that relatives are intimately involved in care coordination, the findings point to a lack of adequate financial and psycho-social support for relatives of palliative patients who are burdened with coordination tasks, without the appropriate recompense.

Comparison of The Hospice Palliative Care Delivery Systems in Iran and Selected Countries

Background: There is an increasing demand for Hospice Palliative Care (HPC) due to the aging population, increased incidence of cancer, and other chronic diseases, as well as recent advances in care and treatment. Objectives: The present study was conducted to examine the nature and structure of HPC services and to describe and compare them in the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Australia, Japan, India, Jordan, and Iran to extract general conclusions and suggestions for developing HPC systems in Iran. Methods: In the current descriptive-comparative study, from 2018 to 2019, HPC delivery systems in the selected countries and Iran were reviewed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline, and the similarities and differences among them were explained. Results: Developing the National HPC Program and its integration into the health system are important activities. The most common source of financing is donation. The services are mainly provided to patients with cancer. Human resource development includes curriculum reform, creating specialty, subspecialty disciplines, and holding training courses. Other activities include designing national guidelines, the free access to opioids, research development, the establishment of the national information network, and the quality control programs. Iran lacks any formal structure and program of HPC services and they are provided in a scattered and very limited manner as part of general palliative services. Conclusions: HPC services are in a mediate and low level in developed countries and Iran, respectively. Before the establishment of the HPC delivery system, a complicated range of economic, social, cultural, and political factors must be considered.

An investigation of the challenges to coordination at the interface of primary and specialized palliative care services in Switzerland: A qualitative interview study

Good coordination of healthcare services is vital for ensuring health cost efficiency and high-quality care for patients. It is especially important in the context of palliative care as services are often highly fragmented due to a combination of diverse professional groups, organizations, and approaches to care. However, the coordination of services in this field is often evaluated as insufficient. Little is known about the challenges to coordination in this sector in Switzerland. The present study addresses this gap in research by investigating the challenges to coordination at the interface of palliative care services in Switzerland. Interviews (n = 24) with 38 healthcare practitioners working in palliative care in four cantons (Basel-City, Lucerne, Ticino, and Vaud) form the basis for this investigation. The selected cantons not only represent French, Italian, and German language regions of Switzerland but also represent diverse rural, urban, and historical contexts. Expert interviews are analyzed using structural content analysis. Three clusters of challenges to coordination were identified in the data: (1) organizational challenges to coordination, which relate to explicit forms of coordination; (2) relational challenges to coordination; and (3) structural challenges to coordination, which relate to implicit forms of coordination. The study reveals a need for better financial support for coordination in palliative care and a stronger focus on interprofessional coordination in educating professionals in palliative care. Future research on how to further foster good team coordination practices between primary and specialized palliative services merits further investigation. Since these findings are indicative of areas for improvement for coordination at the interface of Swiss palliative care services, they are of particular interest for healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and researchers involved in the evolution of coordinative practice.

Costs and Cost Drivers Associated with Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Who Received Two or More Lines of Therapy in Europe

Purpose

Advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (aNSCLC; stage IIIB/IV) presents a substantial clinical burden to society; reliable estimates of its economic burden are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify real-world health care resource utilization (HCRU) and costs of patients with squamous (SQ) and non-SQ (NSQ) aNSCLC who received two or more lines of treatment (2L+) in Europe, and to describe cost-predictors.

Methods

The LENS (Leading the Evaluation of Non-squamous and Squamous NSCLC) retrospective chart review study collected data from 2L+ patients with aNSCLC diagnosed between 07/2009 and 08/2011 (wave 1) or 07/2010 and 09/2012 (wave 2) in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, England, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Patients were followed from diagnosis through most recent visit/death. A weighted average of country-specific unit costs (2018 Euro) was applied to systemic anti-cancer therapy usage and HCRU (hospital/emergency department visit, surgery, radiotherapy, ancillary care, biomarker testing) to determine the total cost from aNSCLC diagnosis to death. Generalized linear models (gamma distribution, log link) were used to assess clinical and demographic predictors.

Results

Of 973 2L+ aNSCLC patients, median overall survival (OS) was 1.5 years from advanced diagnosis (range: 0.2-5.3; median OS: 1.4 [SQ], 1.6 [NSQ]), 79.0% died during follow-up. Weighted mean total per-patient costs were €21,273, ranging from €17,761 (England) to €30,854 (Sweden), and €15,446 (SQ) to €26,477 (NSQ). Systemic drug costs comprised 77.4% of total costs. Insurance status, presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, SQ histology, age, alcohol abuse, and year of diagnosis were significant predictors for lower total costs per patient-month, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) ≥1 and country for higher costs.

Conclusion

In the era pre-immunotherapy, HCRU and costs were substantial in aNSCLC 2L+ patients, with most of the costs accrued prior to start of 2L. NSQ patients incurred significantly higher total costs than SQ patients in all participating countries.

Primary palliative care for older people in three European countries: a mortality follow-back quality study

BACKGROUND

Many older people with serious chronic illnesses experience complex health problems for which palliative care is indicated. We aimed to examine the quality of primary palliative care for people aged 65-84 years and those 85 years and older who died non-suddenly in three European countries.

METHODS

This is a nationwide representative mortality follow-back study. General practitioners (GPs) belonging to epidemiological surveillance networks in Belgium (BE), Italy (IT) and Spain (ES) (2013-2015) registered weekly all deaths in their practices. We included deaths of people aged 65 and excluded sudden deaths judged by GPs. We applied a validated set of quality indicators.

RESULTS

GPs registered 3496 deaths, of which 2329 were non-sudden (1126 aged 65-84, 1203 aged 85+). GPs in BE (reference category) reported higher scores than IT across almost all indicators. Differences with ES were not consistent. The score in BE particularly differed from IT on GP-patient communication (aged 65-84: 61% in BE vs 20% in IT (OR=0.12, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.20) aged 85+: 47% in BE vs 9% in IT (OR=0.09, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.16)). Between BE and ES, we identified a large difference in involvement of palliative care services (aged 65-84: 62% in BE vs 89% in ES (OR=4.81, 95% CI 2.41 to 9.61) aged 85+: 61% in BE vs 77% in ES (OR=3.1, 95% CI 1.71 to 5.53)).

CONCLUSIONS

Considerable country differences were identified in the quality of primary palliative care for older people. The data suggest room for improvement across all countries, particularly regarding pain measurement, GP-patient communication and multidisciplinary meetings.

Exploring health care providers' perceptions about home-based palliative care in terminally ill cancer patients

Background

According to the World Health Organization, palliative care is one of the main components of healthcare. As the incidence of cancer is increasing in the world, home-based palliative care can be beneficial for many patients. This study was designed to explore health care providers’ perceptions about home-based palliative care in terminally ill cancer patients.

Methods

This qualitative study was carried out using the conventional content analysis from October 2016 to September 2018 in Iran. Participants were home care providers who were selected using purposive sampling. The data were collected through 18 individual interviews, and a focus group meeting. Data were analyzed based on the method proposed by Lundman and Graneheim.

Results

from the data analysis, 511 initial codes were extracted, which were categorized into the two main categories of challenges and opportunities for home-based palliative care and 10 subcategories. The subcategories of challenges included deficiencies in inter-sectoral and inter-professional cooperation, lack of infrastructures for end-of-life care, challenges related to the management of death, challenges of transferring patients to home, providing non-academic palliative care, lack of political commitment of the government and Spiritual vacuum. The category of opportunities included subcategories of cost-effectiveness, moving towards socializing health, and structure of the health system.

Conclusions

Home-based palliative care requires government and health system support. Structural and process modification in the healthcare can provide conditions in which terminally ill cancer patients receive appropriate care in home and experience death with dignity through support of family, friends and healthcare.

Which Reimbursement System Fits Inpatient Palliative Care? A Qualitative Interview Study on Clinicians' and Financing Experts' Experiences and Views

Context: Internationally, a variety of reimbursement systems exists for palliative care (PC). In Germany, PC units (PCUs) may choose between per-diem rates and diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). Both systems are controversially discussed. Objectives: To explore the experiences and views of German PCU clinicians and experts for PCU financing regarding per-diem rates and DRGs as reimbursement systems with a focus on (1) cost coverage, (2) strengths and weaknesses of both financing systems, and (3) options for further development of funding PCUs. Design: Qualitative semistructured interviews with PCU clinicians and experts for PCU financing, analyzed by thematic analysis using the Framework approach. Setting/Subjects/Measurements: Ten clinicians and 13 experts for financing were interviewed June-October 2015 on both reimbursement systems for PCU. Results: Interviewees had divergent experiences with both reimbursement systems regarding cost coverage. A described strength of per-diem rates was the perceived possibility of individual care without direct financial pressure. The nationwide variation of per-diem rates and the lack of quality standards were named as weaknesses. DRGs were criticized for incentives perceived as perverse and inadequate representation of PC-specific procedures. However, the quality standards for PCUs required within the German DRG system were described as important strength. Suggestions for improvement of the funding system pointed toward a combination of per-diem rates with a grading according to disease severity/complexity of care. Conclusions: Expert opinions suggest that neither current DRGs nor per-diem rates are ideal for funding of PCUs. Suggested improvements regarding adequate funding of PCUs resemble and supplement international developments.

Hospice Use Among Patients with Heart Failure

Despite its many benefits, hospice care is underused for patients with heart failure. This paper discusses the factors contributing to this underuse and offers recommendations to optimise use for patients with heart failure and proposes metrics to optimise quality of hospice care for this patient group.

Implementation of palliative care for patients with terminal diseases from the viewpoint of healthcare personnel

Objective

In Indonesia, palliative care has not been uniformly implemented at all levels of healthcare facilities. Healthcare personnel play an important role in providing that care. This study aimed to explore the current conditions and expectations regarding palliative care from the perspective of healthcare personnel.

Results

A qualitative study was conducted with 12 physicians and five nurses from December 2017 to June 2018. In-depth interviews of these professionals were conducted. The responses were subjected to inductive thematic analysis, generating five themes and 24 subthemes. The themes were (1) family and environment, including barriers and contributions to palliative care; (2) numbers and competence of healthcare providers; (3) accessibility of palliative care; (4) case management of patient’s and family’s problems by healthcare personnel; and (5) barriers or enabling factors from the healthcare system. Patients, family members, and healthcare personnel contribute to case management. Attention must be paid to improving access and the healthcare system for thorough implementation of palliative care.

Hospital palliative care consult improves value-based purchasing outcomes in a propensity score-matched cohort

BACKGROUND

Hospital-based palliative care consultation is consistently associated with reduced hospitalization costs and more importantly with improved patient quality of life. As healthcare systems move toward value-based purchasing rather than fee-for-service models, understanding how palliative care consultation is associated with value-based purchasing metrics can provide evidence for expanded health system support for a greater palliative care presence.

AIM

To understand how a palliative care consultation impacts rates of patient readmission and hospital-acquired infections associated with value-based purchasing metrics.

DESIGN

Retrospective propensity-matched case-control study evaluating the impact of palliative care consultation on hospital charges, hospital and intensive care unit length of stay, readmission rates, and rates of hospital-acquired conditions.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

All adult patients admitted to a two hospital healthcare system over a 2-year period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2017. The palliative care team involved three physicians, five advanced practice providers, a social worker, and a chaplain during the study period.

RESULTS

A total of 3415 patients receiving a palliative consult were propensity matched to 25,028 controls. Compared to controls, cases had decreased charges per day and decreased rates of 7-, 30-, and 90-day readmissions.

CONCLUSION

Through value-based purchasing, hospitals have 3% of their Medicare reimbursements at risk based on readmission rates. By clarifying prognosis and patient goals, palliative care consultation reduces readmission rates. Hospital systems may want to invest in larger palliative care programs as part of their efforts to reduce hospital readmissions.

Understanding complexity - the palliative care situation as a complex adaptive system

Background

The concept of complexity is used in palliative care (PC) to describe the nature of patients’ situations and the extent of resulting needs and care demands. However, the term or concept is not clearly defined and operationalised with respect to its particular application in PC. As a complex problem, a care situation in PC is characterized by reciprocal, nonlinear relations and uncertainties. Dealing with complex problems necessitates problem-solving methods tailored to specific situations. The theory of complex adaptive systems (CAS) provides a framework for locating problems and solutions.

This study aims to describe criteria contributing to complexity of PC situations from the professionals’ view and to develop a conceptual framework to improve understanding of the concept of “complexity” and related elements of a PC situation by locating the complex problem “PC situation” in a CAS.

Methods

Qualitative interview study with 42 semi-structured expert (clinical/economical/political) interviews. Data was analysed using the framework method. The thematic framework was developed inductively. Categories were reviewed, subsumed and connected considering CAS theory.

Results

The CAS of a PC situation consists of three subsystems: patient, social system, and team. Agents in the "system patient" are allocated to further subsystems on patient level: physical, psycho-spiritual, and socio-cultural. The "social system" and the "system team" are composed of social agents, who affect the CAS as carriers of characteristics, roles, and relationships. Environmental factors interact with the care situation from outside the system. Agents within subsystems and subsystems themselves interact on all hierarchical system levels and shape the system behaviour of a PC situation.

Conclusions

This paper provides a conceptual framework and comprehensive understanding of complexity in PC. The systemic view can help to understand and shape situations and dynamics of individual care situations; on higher hierarchical level, it can support an understanding and framework for the development of care structures and concepts. The framework provides a foundation for the development of a model to differentiate PC situations by complexity of patients and care needs. To enable an operationalisation and classification of complexity, relevant outcome measures mirroring the identified system elements should be identified and implemented in clinical practice.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-3961-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Quality of primary palliative care for older people with mild and severe dementia: an international mortality follow-back study using quality indicators

Background

measuring the quality of primary palliative care for older people with dementia in different countries is important to identify areas where improvements can be made.

Objective

using quality indicators (QIs), we systematically investigated the overall quality of primary palliative care for older people with dementia in three different countries.

Design/setting

a mortality follow-back survey through nation- and region-wide representative Sentinel Networks of General Practitioners (GPs) in Belgium, Italy and Spain. GPs registered all patient deaths in their practice. We applied a set of nine QIs developed through literature review and expert consensus.

Subjects

patients aged 65 or older, who died non-suddenly with mild or severe dementia as judged by GPs (n = 874).

Results

findings showed significantly different QI scores between Belgium and Italy for regular pain measurement (mild dementia: BE = 44%, IT = 12%, SP = 50% | severe dementia: BE = 41%, IT = 9%, SP = 47%), acceptance of approaching death (mild: BE = 59%, IT = 48%, SP = 33% | severe: BE = 41%, IT = 21%, SP = 20%), patient-GP communication about illness (mild: BE = 42%, IT = 6%, SP = 20%) and involvement of specialised palliative services (mild: BE = 60%, IT = 20%, SP = 77%). The scores in Belgium differed from Italy and Spain for patient-GP communication about medical treatments (mild: BE = 34%, IT = 12%, SP = 4%) and repeated multidisciplinary consultations (mild: BE = 39%, IT = 5%, SP = 8% | severe: BE = 36%, IT = 10%, SP = 8%). The scores for relative-GP communication, patient death outside hospitals and bereavement counselling did not differ between countries.

Conclusion

while the countries studied differed considerably in the overall quality of primary palliative care, they have similarities in room for improvement, in particular, pain measurement and prevention of avoidable hospitalisations.

Reframing Global Palliative Care Advocacy for the Sustainable Development Goal Era: A Qualitative Study of the Views of International Palliative Care Experts

CONTEXT

The World Health Assembly Palliative Care Resolution in 2014 and the inclusion of palliative care within the sustainable development goals raised optimism that palliative care would no longer be a peripheral aspect of global health. However, no funding, accountability measures, or indicators for palliative care development accompanied these policy developments. This risks health actors continuing to prioritize the attainment of better known target-driven aspects of health care.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the attitudes of international palliative care experts regarding how the future development of palliative care can be accelerated.

METHODS

About 16 international palliative care experts were interviewed for their epistemic expertise. Participants were interviewed face to face or via Skype. Interviews were recorded, transcribed nonverbatim, and analyzed using a thematic approach (NVivo).

RESULTS

Participants strongly supported the rollout of national palliative care policies around the world for two reasons: to ensure palliative care attracts national funding streams and to attract global funding for palliative care. The absence of a global indicator for palliative care development was considered a severe impediment to the inclusion of palliative care within global efforts toward universal health care. Advocacy partnerships, using human rights approaches with economic frames, were considered the most effective methods of influencing policymakers.

CONCLUSION

Palliative care represents a value proposition that is not currently being maximized by advocacy. Advocates should consider palliative care developmentally, focusing on key asks for development and consider how palliative care can contribute to other international development priorities, in particular poverty reduction.

Meeting the needs of young adults with life-limiting conditions: A UK survey of current provision and future challenges for hospices

AIM

The aim of this study was to seek views of UK children's and adult hospices on the availability and challenges of providing services for young adults with life-limiting conditions.

BACKGROUND

Internationally, there are a growing number of young adults with life-limiting conditions and/or complex needs which are degenerative, progressive and diverse and involve complex life-long symptom, medication management as well as palliative care. There are 55,721 young adults, aged 18-40 in England, which continues to increase. The hospice sector is experiencing demands to extend services for this population despite concerns about the appropriateness of adult hospices and their nursing staff to provide care for the complex and unfamiliar conditions of this patient group. Evidence is needed of hospices' views and the main challenges faced providing services for young adults.

DESIGN

Descriptive cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

xChildren and adult hospices completed an online survey exploring service provision and their views of respite care for young adults with life-limiting conditions from 18 years old and onward. Data were collected between October 2015 - February 2016.

FINDINGS

Respondents (N = 76 hospices) reported that children's hospices predominantly provided short breaks and end-of-life care; adult hospices provided mainly symptom management, end-of-life care and day services. Main challenges were lack of existing adult respite services; lack of funding and capacity; lack of a skilled workforce in adult hospices; and the need for better integrated service provision.

CONCLUSION

Examples of good collaborative working were reported. With an increasing population of young adults and pressure on families, it is vital that services work together to find sustainable solutions to the challenges.

What is the cost of palliative care in the UK? A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Little is known about the cost of a palliative care approach in the UK, and there is an absence of robust activity and unit cost data. The aim of this study was to review evidence on the costs of specialist and generalist palliative care in the UK, and to explore different approaches used for capturing activity and unit cost data.

METHODS

A systematic review with narrative synthesis. Four electronic databases were searched for empirical literature on the costs of a palliative care approach in the UK, and a narrative method was used to synthesise the data.

RESULTS

Ten papers met our inclusion criteria. The studies displayed significant variation in their estimates of the cost of palliative care, therefore it was not possible to present an accurate aggregate cost of palliative care in the UK. The majority of studies explored costs from a National Health Service perspective and only two studies included informal care costs. Approaches to estimating activity and costs varied. Particular challenges were noted with capturing activity and cost data for hospice and informal care.

CONCLUSION

The data are limited, and the heterogeneity is such that it is not possible to provide an aggregate cost of palliative care in the UK. It is notable that the costs of hospice care and informal care are often neglected in economic studies. Further work is needed to address methodological and practical challenges in order to gain a more complete understanding of the costs of palliative care.

Aligning policy objectives and payment design in palliative care

BACKGROUND

Payment models for palliative care vary across nations, with few adopting contemporary payments designs that apply to other parts of the health system.

AIM

To propose optimal payment arrangements for palliative care.

APPROACH

Review of relevant literature on funding mechanisms in health care generally and palliative care in particular.

RESULTS

Payment models for palliative care should move toward activity-based funding using an agreed classification, be uncapped funding with performance monitoring, and make explicit use of performance metrics and reporting.

CONCLUSIONS

If palliative care is to become a universally accessible service, new approaches to funding, based on the experience of funding reforms in other parts of the health system, need to be adopted.