Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40599030›Full record

ArticleAfrican journal of primary health care & family medicine2025

Integrating emergency medical services and palliative care: A nominal group technique.

Caleb H Gage, Liz Gwyther, Julia Ambler, Jan Burke, Katya Evans, Linley Holmes, René Krause, Kaleb Lachenicht, Danielle Lincoln, Kerene Payne and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in African journal of primary health care & family medicine, 2025. 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
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

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

13 authors.

Caleb H GageDivision of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town. calebg@joburg.org.za.
Liz Gwyther
Julia Ambler
Jan Burke
Katya Evans
Linley Holmes
René Krause
Kaleb Lachenicht
Danielle Lincoln
Kerene Payne
Mpho Ratshikana-Moloko
Charnelle Stander
Willem Stassen

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe need for integrated healthcare has been increasingly recognised because of mounting challenges associated with the proliferation of injuries and noncommunicable diseases. A developing example of integration is between Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and palliative care. Despite recommendations for integration in South Africa (SA), these services remain segregated.

aimThis study aimed to develop and prioritise approaches facilitating EMS and palliative care system integration within SA.

settingAn online meeting was held with SA EMS and palliative care experts.

methodsA nominal group technique was employed to answer the question, 'What do you think should be done to most effectively integrate EMS and palliative care services in SA?' Answers were categorised, awarded scores by participants, and ranked according to impact and feasibility.

resultsThe following categories were generated: Awareness, Education, Community Engagement, Communication and Information Sharing, Stakeholder Collaborations, Alternative Pathways and Approaches, Research, Funding, Policy Development and Governance. The top five individual approaches were: (1) enable EMS to administer already prescribed medications, (2) Emergency Medical Services undergraduate training in palliative care, (3) improve EMS recognition of signs of dying at the end-of-life, (4) palliative care awareness for the EMS community, and (5) palliative care awareness for in-hospital healthcare providers, particularly those in emergency medicine.

conclusionThe categories developed in this study should be used to guide EMS and palliative care integration in SA. Future research should aim at establishing the safety and efficacy of these interventions.Contribution: This study provides a structured approach to integrating EMS and palliative care in SA, enhancing holistic care for patients with palliative needs.

Indexed as

Delivery of Health Care, IntegratedEmergency Medical ServicesPalliative CareHumansSouth AfricaambulanceEMSend-of-lifehealthcare system integrationpalliative careparamedicperson-centred careSouth Africa.

Identifiers

PMID40599030
PMCPMC12224028

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LicenceCC BY
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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.