Palliative Care in Surgery: Defining the Research Priorities

Area of Science:

• Palliative care in surgical settings.
• Improving end-of-life care for surgical patients.
• Surgical quality improvement and patient outcomes.

Background:

• Surgical patients have high palliative care needs due to acute illness and treatment burdens.
• Surgical patients are less likely to receive palliative care compared to medical patients.
• Palliative care consultations for surgical patients often occur late in the disease trajectory.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the existing evidence for palliative care in surgery.
• To identify gaps in palliative care research within surgical disciplines.
• To propose a research agenda for advancing palliative care in surgery.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of palliative care in surgery.
• Analysis of current research challenges and cultural barriers.
• Identification of priority areas for future investigation.

Main Results:

• Evidence supporting palliative care in surgical practice is currently sparse.
• Methodological challenges and cultural norms hinder palliative care provision in surgery.
• Significant gaps exist in the science of palliative care within surgical fields.

Conclusions:

• Early integration of palliative care with surgical treatment is likely beneficial for patients.
• Further research is crucial to address current gaps and overcome barriers.
• A structured research agenda is needed to guide future investigations in surgical palliative care.