Development of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated survey
Abstract Background Specialist palliative care teams (SPCTs) have significant benefits for patients with advanced disease or frailty, including improved quality of life, greater satisfaction with care, and less potentially inappropriate care at the end of life. Experienced SPCTs are recognised to ha...
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Palliative Care |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01657-x |
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| author | N. van Velzen L. Brom M. J. D. L van der Vorst M. L. Kiers M. F. M. Wagemans H. Kazimier M. S. A. Boddaert N. J. H. Raijmakers A. Stoppelenburg |
| author_facet | N. van Velzen L. Brom M. J. D. L van der Vorst M. L. Kiers M. F. M. Wagemans H. Kazimier M. S. A. Boddaert N. J. H. Raijmakers A. Stoppelenburg |
| author_sort | N. van Velzen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Specialist palliative care teams (SPCTs) have significant benefits for patients with advanced disease or frailty, including improved quality of life, greater satisfaction with care, and less potentially inappropriate care at the end of life. Experienced SPCTs are recognised to have higher referral rates compared to novice teams. The aim of this study was to assess the development of hospital-wide integration of specialist palliative care (PC) and of SPCTs in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020. Methods Three cross-sectional surveys of SPCTs in Dutch hospitals were conducted in 2015, 2018 and 2021. Key members of the hospital SPCTs completed questionnaires about the preceding year that included items on hospital and PC program characteristics, hospital-wide integration of specialist PC, and SPCT characteristics (92 hospitals in 2015, 79 in 2018 and 74 in 2021). The analysis included hospitals with an operational SPCT, as determined by providing inpatient PC consultation services. Univariate analyses compared hospitals and SPCTs by year. Significance was determined by p-values < 0.05. Results In 2014, 65% of participating hospitals provided inpatient PC consultations (n = 48). This increased to 92% in 2017 (n = 58) and 98% in 2020 (n = 48). Over the years, participating hospitals showed an increasing level of hospital-wide integration of specialist PC, such as an increased number of dedicated PC outpatient clinics (56% in 2020, compared with 47% in 2017 and 27% in 2014). The annual number of inpatient referrals to SPCTs has increased significantly over the years. The SPCTs have developed significantly in various aspects, including collaboration between primary and hospital care, the availability of services to patients at home and non-clinical activities. Conclusion Over the years, Dutch hospitals have shown growth in hospital-wide integration of specialist PC. Specialist palliative care teams have made significant progress in increasing inpatient consultations, and in improving collaboration between primary and hospital care. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fba0e5182cb048e98ab110579ebf8f9a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-684X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Palliative Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-fba0e5182cb048e98ab110579ebf8f9a2025-01-26T12:57:48ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2025-01-012411810.1186/s12904-025-01657-xDevelopment of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated surveyN. van Velzen0L. Brom1M. J. D. L van der Vorst2M. L. Kiers3M. F. M. Wagemans4H. Kazimier5M. S. A. Boddaert6N. J. H. Raijmakers7A. Stoppelenburg8Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL)Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL)Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Supportive and Palliative Care, Rijnstate HospitalDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, Reinier de Graaf HospitalDepartment of Anesthesiology, Centre of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care, Reinier de Graaf HospitalNetherlands Association for Palliative Care (PZNL)Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL)Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL)Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center RotterdamAbstract Background Specialist palliative care teams (SPCTs) have significant benefits for patients with advanced disease or frailty, including improved quality of life, greater satisfaction with care, and less potentially inappropriate care at the end of life. Experienced SPCTs are recognised to have higher referral rates compared to novice teams. The aim of this study was to assess the development of hospital-wide integration of specialist palliative care (PC) and of SPCTs in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020. Methods Three cross-sectional surveys of SPCTs in Dutch hospitals were conducted in 2015, 2018 and 2021. Key members of the hospital SPCTs completed questionnaires about the preceding year that included items on hospital and PC program characteristics, hospital-wide integration of specialist PC, and SPCT characteristics (92 hospitals in 2015, 79 in 2018 and 74 in 2021). The analysis included hospitals with an operational SPCT, as determined by providing inpatient PC consultation services. Univariate analyses compared hospitals and SPCTs by year. Significance was determined by p-values < 0.05. Results In 2014, 65% of participating hospitals provided inpatient PC consultations (n = 48). This increased to 92% in 2017 (n = 58) and 98% in 2020 (n = 48). Over the years, participating hospitals showed an increasing level of hospital-wide integration of specialist PC, such as an increased number of dedicated PC outpatient clinics (56% in 2020, compared with 47% in 2017 and 27% in 2014). The annual number of inpatient referrals to SPCTs has increased significantly over the years. The SPCTs have developed significantly in various aspects, including collaboration between primary and hospital care, the availability of services to patients at home and non-clinical activities. Conclusion Over the years, Dutch hospitals have shown growth in hospital-wide integration of specialist PC. Specialist palliative care teams have made significant progress in increasing inpatient consultations, and in improving collaboration between primary and hospital care.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01657-xPalliative careHospitalsConsultation and referral |
| spellingShingle | N. van Velzen L. Brom M. J. D. L van der Vorst M. L. Kiers M. F. M. Wagemans H. Kazimier M. S. A. Boddaert N. J. H. Raijmakers A. Stoppelenburg Development of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated survey BMC Palliative Care Palliative care Hospitals Consultation and referral |
| title | Development of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated survey |
| title_full | Development of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated survey |
| title_fullStr | Development of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated survey |
| title_short | Development of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated survey |
| title_sort | development of specialist palliative care in dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020 a repeated survey |
| topic | Palliative care Hospitals Consultation and referral |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01657-x |
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