Multidisciplinary case study as an approach to the evaluation of palliative care services: two example

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Health Services Research
• Program Evaluation

Background:

• Palliative care services are complex and serve diverse patient and stakeholder needs.
• Current evaluation methods may not fully capture the nuances of palliative care provision.
• A need exists for more comprehensive and adaptable evaluation frameworks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for a broad approach to evaluating palliative care services.
• To present the core principles of a formative, qualitative evaluation model.
• To demonstrate the utility of this model through case examples.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research methodologies.
• Formative evaluation principles.
• Case study analysis of two palliative care services.

Main Results:

• A broad evaluation approach must account for varied interest groups.
• The complexity of palliative care necessitates multifaceted evaluation methods.
• A formative, qualitative model effectively addresses these complexities.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive evaluation of palliative care requires a broad, inclusive perspective.
• Formative, qualitative evaluation models are well-suited to capture the intricacies of palliative care.
• This approach enhances the understanding and improvement of palliative care services.