Multidisciplinary patient records in a palliative care setting

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Palliative Care
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Multidisciplinary team (MDT) working is crucial for effective specialist palliative care delivery.
• Government initiatives emphasize collaborative approaches to enhance patient care quality.
• Existing documentation systems may lack integration among healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a unified patient record system on palliative care delivery.
• To evaluate improvements in communication and information clarity within a multidisciplinary team.
• To determine if a single set of records enhances patient journey continuity.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel, integrated patient record system by the palliative care directorate.
• Implementation of the system for utilization by all healthcare professionals involved in patient care.
• Conducting an audit to evaluate the system's effectiveness.

Main Results:

• The new documentation system provides a single, unified set of patient records.
• Significant improvements observed in the clarity of patient information.
• Enhanced communication among multidisciplinary team members was noted.
• Reduction in duplication of documentation and improved continuity of patient care.

Conclusions:

• A unified patient record system positively impacts specialist palliative care.
• Integrated documentation facilitates better communication and continuity of care.
• This approach supports collaborative working and improves the patient journey.