Understanding Global End-of-Life Care Practices: IHF 2014 Research Project

This first-of-its kind survey of global end-of-life (EOL) practices uncovered major differences in how EOL care is defined, delivered, and measured. According to respondents from university hospitals and cancer centers in 17 countries, the primary challenges to providing effective EOL care are communication between clinicians and patients/families, cultural beliefs about death, entrenched staff beliefs about prolonging life, and lack of funding. However, many organizations are implementing improvements in EOL services that support hospital-wide identification of patients for whom such services are appropriate, screening to avoid needless aggressive therapies, enhanced provider education, and ways to assess quality of life for terminally ill patients.