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Survival after enrollment in an Australian palliative care program
Phillip D Good1, John Cavenagh, Peter J Ravenscroft
1Division of Palliative Care, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Waratah, New South Wales, Australia. Phillip.Good@mater.health.nsw.gov.au
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
|March 31, 2004
Summary
Palliative care improves quality of life by managing symptoms. Early referral to palliative care services, regardless of prognosis, is crucial for patient well-being.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Oncology
- Geriatrics
Background:
- Palliative care services enhance patient quality of life by managing physical, psychospiritual needs.
- Studies consistently show late referrals to palliative care services across diverse international settings.
- Integrated palliative care models combine inpatient, community, and consultation services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze patient survival following enrollment in an Australian integrated palliative care service.
- To evaluate the duration of palliative care program participation relative to patient diagnosis and death.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 1138 patients enrolled in an integrated palliative care service over 30 months.
- Data collection included patient demographics, diagnoses, and survival metrics.
- Survival duration and time spent in palliative care were calculated.
Main Results:
- The median survival was 54 days; 9.3% died within 7 days, and 16.96% lived longer than six months.
- The median duration on the palliative care program was 17% of the time from diagnosis to death.
- Common diagnoses included lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers, alongside nonmalignant diseases.
Conclusions:
- Integrated palliative care services support patients with diverse conditions.
- The timing of palliative care referral should align with symptom management needs, not solely prognosis.
- Optimizing palliative care integration can enhance patient outcomes and quality of life.