Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41845392›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2026

A cost analysis of implementing facilitated improvements in hospital palliative care using patient reported experience measures: the LEAHP (Listen Empower Act - Hospital Palliative care) bundle.

Elise Button, Claudia Virdun, Alison Mudge, Thomasina Donovan, Gursharan K Singh, Patsy Yates, Jane L Phillips, Hannah Carter

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2026. 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

8 authors.

Elise ButtonCaring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
Claudia VirdunCentre for Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. claudia.virdun@flinders.edu.au.
Alison MudgeDepartment of Internal Medicine and Aged Care, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
Thomasina DonovanAustralian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
Gursharan K SinghCentre for Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
Patsy YatesCentre for Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
Jane L PhillipsCentre for Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
Hannah CarterAustralian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAcute inpatient care does not always align with the known palliative care needs and preferences of people with deteriorating health. The LEAHP (Listen, Empower and Act to improve Hospital Palliative care) bundle is a novel intervention combining collection and feedback of patient reported experience measures (PREMs), an understanding of context, co-design of a shared vision and facilitated clinician-led improvements in quality of care, for inpatients with palliative care needs. We describe the resource requirements for pilot implementation of the LEAHP bundle, and potential cost considerations for sustaining and spreading this initiative.

methodsA prospective costing analysis was conducted alongside a pre-post implementation study between May 2022 and Nov 2023 across three wards in a large hospital in Australia. A health service perspective was taken, with costs collected during the study period and valued in 2023 Australian dollars. Costs included Project Team and Clinical Team labour, as well as non-labour resources. Time-driven, activity-based costing methods were adopted, with implementation activities categorised using a modified Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) Framework headings. A scenario analysis explored cost reductions that would support sustaining and spreading of the initiative.

resultsThe total average cost of implementing the LEAHP bundle for each ward over approximately 12 months was $37,019; consisting of $26,289 (71%) Project Team, $8,870 (24%) Clinical Team, and $2,053 (5%) non-labour average costs. The greatest percentage of costs was attributed to the Facilitator (average $13,488 per ward, 36% overall) and the Research Nurse (average of $10,868 per ward, 29%). In a scenario analysis testing sustainment and spread, the total average cost of implementing the LEAHP bundle was an average of $25,251 per ward ($15,212 [60%] Project Team, $8,373 [33%] Clinical Team, and $1,667 [7%] non-labour costs) – 32% less than the base case.

conclusionsPilot implementation of the LEAHP bundle required investment from both the Project Team and Clinical Team to enable facilitation, collection of PREMs, an understanding of context, and engagement of clinicians to implement improvements for inpatients with palliative care needs. Sustainment would be contingent on the resources required for facilitation in a changing clinical context and on mechanisms for collecting and processing the PREM data. Future research is warranted to explore sustainable and widescale implementation of this promising intervention.

Indexed as

Palliative CarePatient Care BundlesPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresAustraliaCosts and Cost AnalysisHumansPilot ProjectsProspective StudiesConsideRATECost analysisFacilitationImplementationInpatientsiPARIHSLEAHPPalliative carePatient reported experience measurePREMQuality of care.

Identifiers

PMID41845392
PMCPMC13107793

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.