Palliative care services and settings: improving care

The first part of this review focused on identifying studies which compared services and settings (O'Henley et al 1997). In the second part, the results of efforts to improve care in the areas previously identified as deficient are highlighted including communication, symptom control and support services. The guidelines that have been developed for palliative care are discussed along with the inherent difficulties faced by investigators when conducting research with the terminally ill. Nonetheless, more research is required to clarify which services work best for which kinds of patients and families in which circumstances.