Improving incidence of referrals for psychosocial and spiritual transdisciplinary care in a palliative care service: focus on brain death.

The goal of this project was to examine the uniformity of the hospital's delivery of psychosocial and spiritual care for the families of patients being evaluated for brain death. A retrospective chart review encompassing one calendar year was conducted. After conferring with physicians and staff, a strategy was developed to capture information on patients who were diagnosed with brain death. Following evaluation of the information gathered, a proposal was introduced and hospital procedure revised. Triggers were put in place to ensure consistent offering of psycho-spiritual transdisciplinary services to the families of patients who are undergoing evaluation for brain death.