Determinants of family satisfaction with inpatient palliative care in Korea

We aimed to identify which structures and processes of care are key determinants of overall satisfaction with palliative care.

A nationwide, multicentre, cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with 501 bereaved family members of terminal cancer patients (effective response rate: 20.9 percent). Structures and processes were evaluated using the Care Evaluation Scale (CES).

In univariate analyses, all domains of the CES were significantly associated with overall satisfaction with care. In multivariate analyses, the domains of physical care by physician, physical care by nurse, environment, and coordination positively influenced overall satisfaction. After case-mix adjustment, physical care by nurse, age of patient, and lower education level of bereaved family member remained as significant determinants.

Our finding that nursing is the most critical determinant of overall satisfaction within many structure and process domains has an important implication for clinical quality improvement and resource allocation.