Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33451311›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2021

What makes palliative care needs "complex"? A multisite sequential explanatory mixed methods study of patients referred for specialist palliative care.

Anne M Finucane, Connie Swenson, John I MacArtney, Rachel Perry, Hazel Lamberton, Lucy Hetherington, Lisa Graham-Wisener, Scott A Murray, Emma Carduff

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
25citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
9.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

25 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 61 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Anne M FinucaneMarie Curie Hospice Edinburgh, 45 Frogston Road West, Edinburgh, EH10 7DR, UK. anne.finucane@mariecurie.org.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3056-059X
Connie SwensonMarie Curie Hospice Edinburgh, 45 Frogston Road West, Edinburgh, EH10 7DR, UK.
John I MacArtneyUnit of Academic Primary Care, University of Warwick, Gibbert Hill, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
Rachel PerryMarie Curie Hospice West Midlands, Marsh Lane, Solihull, B91 2PQ, UK.
Hazel LambertonMarie Curie Hospice Belfast, 1A Kensington Road, Belfast, BT5 6NF, UK.
Lucy HetheringtonMarie Curie Hospice Glasgow, 133 Balornock Rd, Glasgow, G21 3US, UK.
Lisa Graham-WisenerCentre for Improving Health-Related Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK.
Scott A MurrayPrimary Palliative Care Research Group, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, UK.
Emma CarduffMarie Curie Hospice Glasgow, 133 Balornock Rd, Glasgow, G21 3US, UK.
Marie Curie Hospice · GBQueen's University Belfast · GBUniversity of Edinburgh · GBUniversity of Warwick · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpecialist palliative care (SPC) providers tend to use the term 'complex' to refer to the needs of patients who require SPC. However, little is known about complex needs on first referral to a SPC service. We examined which needs are present and sought the perspectives of healthcare professionals on the complexity of need on referral to a hospice service.

methodsMulti-site sequential explanatory mixed method study consisting of a case-note review and focus groups with healthcare professionals in four UK hospices.

resultsDocumentation relating to 239 new patient referrals to hospice was reviewed; and focus groups involving 22 healthcare professionals conducted. Most patients had two or more needs documented on referral (96%); and needs were recorded across two or more domains for 62%. Physical needs were recorded for 91% of patients; psychological needs were recorded for 59%. Spiritual needs were rarely documented. Referral forms were considered limited for capturing complex needs. Referrals were perceived to be influenced by the experience and confidence of the referrer and the local resource available to meet palliative care needs directly.

conclusionsComplexity was hard to detail or to objectively define on referral documentation alone. It appeared to be a term used to describe patients whom primary or secondary care providers felt needed SPC knowledge or support to meet their needs. Hospices need to provide greater clarity regarding who should be referred, when and for what purpose. Education and training in palliative care for primary care nurses and doctors and hospital clinicians could reduce the need for referral and help ensure that hospices are available to those most in need of SPC input.

Indexed as

Hospice and Palliative Care NursingHospice CareHospicesHumansPalliative CareReferral and Consultation

Identifiers

PMID33451311
PMCPMC7809819
OpenAlexW3124723231

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.