Electronic palliative care coordination system (EPaCCS) in practice: A useful tool?

OBJECTIVES

First, to assess if Electronic Palliative Care Coordination Systems (EPaCCS) was used by different organisations as a tool to share information; second, to assess whether there was a measurable benefit with patients dying at their preferred place of death.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the 65 decedents from last 12 months in the registered list of a single practice in Leeds was conducted.

RESULTS

EPaCCS was present in 24 patients (36.9%). It was used by more than one organisation in 17 cases (70.9%). It facilitated death at the preferred place in 19 of the 20 cases (95%) were preferences were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

EPaCCS within the organisation was not used as widely as it could have been presumed. Having a patient with an EPaCCS in the electronic medical records did not imply there was sharing of information among the different organisations involved. Although there was a clear impact on individuals dying at their preferred place of death, preferences were not necessarily recorded in EPaCCS.