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How well do general practitioners deliver palliative care? A systematic review
1Centre for General Practice, University of Queensland Medical School, Herston Road, Herston 4006, Queensland, Australia. g.mitchell@sph.uq.edu.au
Palliative Medicine
|December 6, 2002
Summary
General practitioners (GPs) provide essential palliative care, but face challenges in symptom management and training. Collaboration with specialist teams significantly enhances GP palliative care effectiveness and patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- General Practice
- Healthcare Delivery
Background:
- General practitioners (GPs) are central to delivering palliative care to patients nearing the end of life.
- Existing literature highlights varied perceptions of GP palliative care quality, with patient satisfaction often linked to GP accessibility and communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the nature of GP palliative care, including perceptions, training adequacy, and accessibility.
- To identify strategies for improving the effectiveness of palliative care delivery by GPs.
Main Methods:
- A literature search of Medline and PubMed databases (1966-2000) identified 135 references.
- Sixty-six studies relevant to general practitioner palliative care were analyzed.
Main Results:
- GPs value palliative care, and patients often appreciate their contribution when accessible and attentive.
- Bereaved relatives report lower quality community-based palliative care compared to other settings.
- GPs express discomfort with competence, particularly for less common or untreatable symptoms, but perform effectively with specialist support.
Conclusions:
- Specialist support and formal collaboration with GPs improve palliative care outcomes, patient satisfaction, and resource utilization.
- Enhanced involvement of GPs with specialist palliative care teams can improve GP skills and understanding of multidisciplinary roles.