Perspectives on Palliative Care Among Patients With Pancreatic Cancer: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Palliative Care
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Palliative care (PC) enhances quality of life for cancer patients but is often underused or delayed.
• Pancreatic cancer patients, frequently diagnosed late with severe symptoms, could greatly benefit from early PC.
• A prior chart review revealed low PC referral rates and limited goal-concordant care discussions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase PC referrals for patients with pancreatic cancer.
• To assess if PC services received by these patients were goal-concordant.

Main Methods:

• A pilot observational quality improvement study.
• 19 patients with pancreatic cancer received referrals to PC.
• Pre- and postvisit surveys were administered to assess patient experience.

Main Results:

• All surveyed patients (N=9) reported satisfaction with PC services.
• Significant delays were observed between diagnosis and PC visits.
• Nurses' involvement in PC discussions may increase referral rates.

Conclusions:

• While PC referrals for pancreatic cancer patients can lead to high satisfaction, timely access remains a challenge.
• Integrating nurses into PC referral discussions could improve access for this population.
• Further strategies are needed to ensure timely and goal-concordant PC for pancreatic cancer patients.