Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39948607›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

"We need time, a great know-how and security for patients to always be there in time": a qualitative study on factors distinguishing General from Specialized Palliative Home Care.

Melanie Joshi, Kim Dillen, Norbert Krumm, Michaela Hesse, Holger Brunsch, Julia Strupp, Lukas Radbruch, Roman Rolke, Raymond Voltz, APVEL Consortium

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Article in BMC health services research, 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.

  1. Review
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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

10 authors.

Melanie Joshi *Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. Melanie.Joshi@uk-koeln.de.
Kim Dillen *Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Norbert KrummDepartment of Palliative Medicine, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
Michaela HesseInstitute for Digitalization and General Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
Holger BrunschDepartment of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Julia StruppFaculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Lukas RadbruchDepartment of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Roman RolkeDepartment of Palliative Medicine, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
Raymond VoltzFaculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Palliative Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
APVEL Consortium

Funding

Gemeinsame Bundesausschuss 01VSF16007- APVEL
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAn increasing number of patients in the palliative phase of their disease are cared for at home by palliative home care services. A sense of security, normality of everyday life and symptom control are found to be active factors of quality of care in Specialized Palliative Home Care. Whether this also applies to General Palliative Home Care has not yet been systematically investigated. The aim of this study was to identify distinctions between General and Specialized Palliative Home Care from a healthcare professional's perspective concerning those factors.

methodsWith a qualitative approach, we conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals from different professional backgrounds in General and/or Specialized Palliative Home Care.

resultsIn both General and Specialized Palliative Home Care, healthcare-professionals (HCP) found a sense of security (through availability) to be most relevant for the patients. The majority saw aspects of normality of everyday life as a key component for high-quality palliative home care, especially having time for the patient and the family caregiver(s). However, statements about symptom control are mainly related to Specialized Palliative Home Care. The subcodes availability, having time and competence, symptom burden and financial resources were the main distinguishing factors between General and Specialized Palliative Home Care in sense of security, normality of everyday life and symptom control, respectively.

conclusionsOur results provide the basis for a clearer definition of GPHC and SPHC and contribute to identifying factors for a transferal between the two services to provide best care for the patient. Distinguishing (sub)factors revealed challenges and short-term solutions. Providing (financial) incentives to guarantee time and availability in General Palliative Home Care would lead to more effective care.

Indexed as

Home Care ServicesPalliative CareAdultFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchQuality of Health CareTime FactorsGeneral palliative home careHealthcare professionalsPalliative home careQualitative interviewsSpecialized palliative home care

Identifiers

PMID39948607
PMCPMC11823236

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