Short summary

In this study we plan to develop and design a palliative care intervention. We will test the intervention on timing of referral to specialized palliative care. And finally, we will perfom an evaluation from the perspectives of patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Rationale

The focus of palliative care is to alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life of patients facing life-threatening illnesses and their families through identifying goals of care, controlling symptoms, and caring for the whole family. Several barriers to timely palliative care are identified and palliative care is often initiated at a very late stage. These challenges calls for context-specific models of palliative care that incorporates the complexity of the setting and organizational conditions. The overall aim of the study is to design an inter-professional, inter-specialty collaborative approach to palliative care that accommodates the barriers to timeliness in patients with cancer or heart failure.

Description of the cohort

Throughout the study we include patients with cancer or heart failure and their caregivers. Also health care professionals of different professions participate in the study. Patients are recruited from in-patient wards at the department of oncology or cardiology at Odense University Hospital.

Data and biological material

The study is a mixed methods study applying a participatory design. Methods used include literature searches, focus group interviews, chart review, workshops, survey, non-randomised clinical trial, register study and individual or dyad interviews.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital

• Lotte Saaby