Improving palliative care identification in general practice
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Arjun Poudel1, Animut Alebel Ayalew2, Keryn Johnson3
1PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration, Australasian Health Outcomes Consortium, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW; Adjunct Fellow, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld.
Background:
Early access to palliative care improves outcomes for people with life-limiting illnesses. Yet, in Australia, there is no consistent approach for the early identification of palliative care needs in general practice. The National Palliative Care Coordination (NPCC) project has co-designed a practical decision-support process (GenPal) with a range of experts and consumers.
Objective:
The aim of this paper is to describe the implementation of a palliative care needs assessment and referral protocol in general practice, and outline the evaluation of its feasibility and impact on the identification and management of palliative care needs and referrals to specialist palliative care.
Discussion:
GenPal is currently being piloted in nine general practices across Australia. The intervention aims to support general practitioners to recognise palliative care needs, monitor symptom burden and consider referral to specialist palliative care when appropriate. This article describes the intervention and its implementation within the NPCC project and outlines the evaluation approach currently underway.
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