Goal-setting in terminal care: a method of recording treatment aims and priorities

Although hospices are often said to provide a higher standard of care to terminally ill patients than conventional health care facilities, little empirical investigation has been conducted to test such statements. One aspect of the care process for which hospices are often praised is the attention paid to social and emotional problems concerning the patient, as well as more directly clinical matters. Often these goals are not explicitly stated. This paper investigates a method for systematically documenting the goals set by a multidisciplinary group of staff for the patients under their care. The study was conducted in a National Health Service (NHS) terminal cancer care unit, the staff of which were interested in setting clear, explicit objectives for their patients.