Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39849515›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2025

Development of specialist palliative care in Dutch hospitals between 2014 and 2020: a repeated survey.

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

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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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.

N van VelzenNetherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. n.vanvelzen@iknl.nl.
L BromNetherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
M J D L van der VorstDepartment of Internal Medicine, Center for Supportive and Palliative Care, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
M L KiersDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, Reinier de Graaf Hospital, Delft, The Netherlands.
M F M WagemansDepartment of Anesthesiology, Centre of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care, Reinier de Graaf Hospital, Delft, The Netherlands.
H KazimierNetherlands Association for Palliative Care (PZNL), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
M S A BoddaertNetherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
N J H RaijmakersNetherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
A StoppelenburgDepartment of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpecialist 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.

methodsThree 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.

resultsIn 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.

conclusionOver 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.

Indexed as

HospitalsPalliative CareSpecializationCross-Sectional StudiesHumansNetherlandsPatient Care TeamReferral and ConsultationSurveys and QuestionnairesConsultation and referralHospitalsPalliative care

Identifiers

PMID39849515
PMCPMC11755811

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Registered trials

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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.