A team approach in palliative care: enhancing outcomes

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Palliative Care
• End-of-Life Studies

Background:

• Many individuals do not experience a peaceful end-of-life (EOL) despite desiring a death at home surrounded by loved ones.
• Palliative care offers holistic treatment for patients with non-curative diseases, aiming to enhance quality of life for both patients and families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an interdisciplinary palliative care consultant team on the EOL experience for hospitalized patients and their families.
• To assess improvements in quality of life following palliative care interventions.

Main Methods:

• A hospital-based study involving a convenience sample of 50 patients referred to a palliative care consulting team.
• Data collection occurred in 2001 at a South Dakota tertiary hospital.
• Interventions were implemented during hospitalization, with follow-up data collected two days later.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant improvements were observed in pain levels and non-pain symptom management.
• Numerous psychosocial measures of quality of life showed significant enhancement.
• Positive changes were noted in code status, communication, and perceptions of treatment during hospitalization.

Conclusions:

• Consultations with a palliative care team are beneficial for hospitalized patients.
• Palliative care significantly enhances the end-of-life experience for patients and their families.
• This study supports the integration of palliative care services to improve EOL care quality.