Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37974104›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2023

Interrater agreement of multi-professional case review as reference standard for specialist palliative care need: a mixed-methods study.

Evelyn Müller, Michael Josef Müller, Katharina Seibel, Christopher Boehlke, Henning Schäfer, Carsten Klein, Maria Heckel, Steffen T Simon, Gerhild Becker

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 20% 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

0 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Evelyn MüllerDepartment of Palliative Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Robert-Koch-Straße 3, 79106, Freiburg, Germany. evelyn.mueller@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
Michael Josef MüllerDepartment of Palliative Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Robert-Koch-Straße 3, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Katharina SeibelDepartment of Palliative Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Robert-Koch-Straße 3, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Christopher BoehlkeDepartment of Palliative Care, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
Henning SchäferDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Freiburg, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Robert-Koch-Straße 3, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Carsten KleinDepartment of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen-EMN, Comprehensive Cancer Center CCC Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstraße 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Maria HeckelDepartment of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen-EMN, Comprehensive Cancer Center CCC Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstraße 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Steffen T SimonDepartment of Palliative Medicine and Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Dusseldorf (CIO ABCD), University Hospital of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Gerhild BeckerDepartment of Palliative Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Robert-Koch-Straße 3, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
University of Freiburg · DEFriedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg · DEGerman Cancer Research Center · DEUniversitätsklinikum Erlangen · DEUniversity Hospital Cologne · DEUniversity Hospital of Basel · CH

Funding

German Cancer Aid 70114472
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA wide variety of screening tools for the need for specialist palliative care (SPC) have been proposed for the use in oncology. However, as there is no established reference standard for SPC need to compare their results with, their sensitivity and specificity have not yet been determined. The aim of the study was to explore whether SPC need assessment by means of multi-professional case review has sufficient interrater agreement to be employed as a reference standard.

methodsComprehensive case descriptions were prepared for 20 inpatients with advanced oncologic disease at the University Hospital Freiburg (Germany). All cases were presented to the palliative care teams of three different hospitals in independent, multi-professional case review sessions. The teams assessed whether patients had support needs in nine categories and subsequently concluded SPC need (yes / no). Interrater agreement regarding SPC need was determined by calculating Fleiss' Kappa.

resultsIn 17 out of 20 cases the three teams agreed regarding their appraisal of SPC need (substantial interrater agreement: Fleiss' Kappa κ = 0.80 (95% CI: 0.55-1.0; p < 0.001)). The number of support needs was significantly lower for patients who all teams agreed had no SPC need than for those with agreed SPC need.

conclusionsThe proposed expert case review process shows sufficient reliability to be used as a reference standard. Key elements of the case review process (e.g. clear definition of SPC need, standardized review of the patients' support needs) and possible modifications to simplify the process are discussed.

trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00021686, registered 17.12.2020.

Indexed as

InpatientsPalliative CareHospitals, UniversityHumansMedical OncologyReproducibility of ResultsNeoplasmsPalliative carePsychometricsReferral and consultation

Identifiers

PMID37974104
PMCPMC10652431
OpenAlexW4388724706

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.