How do local doctors react to a hospice?

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Healthcare Services Research
• Oncology Support

Background:

• A hospice was established in Ayrshire to address the need for specialized palliative care.
• Physician attitudes towards palliative care and hospice services were assessed pre- and post-hospice opening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Ayrshire Hospice on physician perceptions and utilization of palliative care.
• To assess the perceived usefulness of different hospice services and identify areas for improvement.

Main Methods:

• Two postal surveys were conducted among general practitioner principals and hospital consultants in Ayrshire.
• Surveys were administered one year before and 13 months after the hospice opening, with response rates of 73% and 62%, respectively.

Main Results:

• Physician enthusiasm for hospice care increased significantly post-opening (median VAS 16 to 5, p < 0.0001).
• Referral rates to the hospice increased from 82% to 92%, with 71% of GPs and 60% of consultants referring patients.
• Specialist advice with home care was deemed most useful, followed by in-patient beds; day hospice was least useful.

Conclusions:

• The Ayrshire Hospice positively influenced physician attitudes and referral patterns for palliative care.
• Physicians found hospice services valuable, particularly home-based support, and expressed willingness to learn from hospice specialists.
• The study highlights the importance of integrated palliative care services and suggests a mixed funding model (voluntary and NHS) is preferred.