Paediatric palliative care medical hotline: retrospective database study.

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Palliative Care
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Clinical emergencies can arise unexpectedly in paediatric palliative care (PPC).
• A dedicated PPC team provides 24/7 medical hotline assistance (MHLA).
• This study analyzes MHLA usage during out-of-hours periods in 2021.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the utilization of the MHLA service.
• To describe the immediate patient pathways following MHLA contact.
• To evaluate the impact of MHLA on emergency unit admissions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of MHLA calls from patients/families followed by the PPC team in 2021.
• Categorization of calls based on origin (patient/family vs. team), content (symptom management, care coordination, psychological support), and urgency.
• Tracking of patient disposition following MHLA contact.

Main Results:

• 160 out-of-hours calls were registered concerning 31 patients, many with disabilities.
• Calls primarily involved symptom management and care coordination.
• 47% of calls were emergencies; 88% of these emergency calls successfully avoided hospital emergency unit transfer.

Conclusions:

• Out-of-hours MHLA is crucial for managing clinical emergencies in paediatric palliative care.
• The service effectively reduces emergency unit admissions.
• MHLA provides essential support, ensuring appropriate care management at home.