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Improving electronic information sharing for palliative care patients.
Amanda Pringle1, Anne Finucane1, David Oxenham1
1Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh.
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports
|January 7, 2016
Summary
Improving electronic information sharing for palliative care patients significantly enhanced data availability for out-of-hours GPs. This quality improvement initiative increased access to crucial patient data, supporting better care coordination.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Health Informatics
- Quality Improvement
Background:
- Effective coordination of palliative care services across diverse settings is vital for patient-centered care.
- A 2008 audit in Lothian revealed only 49% of palliative care patients had information accessible to out-of-hours general practitioners (GPs), indicating poor information handover.
- Inadequate information sharing can compromise patient wishes and lead to unnecessary hospital admissions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report on quality improvement measures implemented to enhance electronic information sharing for specialist palliative care patients in Lothian.
- To assess the impact of these measures on the availability of patient information for out-of-hours services.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of national initiatives like Electronic Palliative Care Summaries (ePCS).
- Local quality improvement drivers at Marie Curie Hospice, including GP education, optimized discharge letter formats, and specialist nurse support.
- Re-audits conducted in 2012 and 2013 to evaluate changes in electronic information availability.
Main Results:
- The percentage of specialist palliative care patients with electronic information available to out-of-hours services increased from 49% in 2008 to 75% in 2012 and 71% in 2013.
- These results demonstrate a significant improvement in electronic information sharing across different care contexts.
- The introduction of ePCS and related local initiatives positively impacted data accessibility.
Conclusions:
- Quality improvement measures have successfully enhanced electronic handover of information for palliative care patients in Lothian.
- Continued efforts are necessary to further improve the quality and accessibility of electronically shared patient information across all care settings.
- The rollout of the new Electronic Key Information Summary signifies ongoing commitment to better information sharing in palliative care.
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