Assessment of reasons for referral and activities of hospital palliative care teams using a standard format: a multicenter 1000 case description.

CONTEXT

The many benefits of hospital palliative care teams (PCTs) are well known. However, their specific activities have not been fully clarified, and no standardized methods for reporting PCT activities are available.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate, through the use of a standard format, the activities performed by hospital PCTs in Japan.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study. A total of 21 hospital PCTs were included in this study, and each recruited approximately 50 consecutively referred patients. Participating PCTs filled in a standard form for reporting activities.

RESULTS

We obtained data from 1055 patients who were referred to PCTs. Of the 1055 patients, 1005 patients (95%) had cancer. The median number of reasons for referral and problems identified by PCTs was two (0-22) and four (0-18), respectively. The two major reasons for referral were pain (63%) and anxiety/depression/grief/emotional burden (22%). The major recommendations were pharmacological treatment (74%), care for the patient's physical symptoms (49%), and support for patient's decision making (38%). The major activities performed by the PCTs were comprehensive assessment (90%), care for the patient's physical symptoms (77%), and pharmacological treatment (74%).

CONCLUSION

The components of hospital PCT activities were successfully measured using the Standard Format for Reporting Hospital PCT Activity. The results of this study and the format for reporting hospital PCT activity could be effective in improving hospital PCT practice and for the education of new hospital PCT members.