Pouilsen PB, Rajani N, Hornemann A, Kolbye A; Health Technology Assessment International. Meeting (1st : 2004 : Krakow, Poland).
Proc One HTA Health Technol Assess Int Meet 1st 2004 Krakow Pol. 2004; 1: 106.
MUUSMANN Research & Consulting, Kolding, Denmark.
Compared to the Danish cancer plan, palliative care requires interaction between palliative hospital units, the primary health- and social sector, the terminal patients and their relatives. In 2001, the palliative network "Hospice without walls" (HWW) was established in Aarhus County with the purpose of improving the palliative effort allowing the dying to be able to stay in their homes as long as possible. OBJECTIVE: To examine HWW in a health technology assessment (HTA) regarding the consequences for treatment and care, patient, organisation and economy. The project is financed by DACEHTA. METHODS: A before-after design comparing HWW with the previous situation has been applied. The applied methods represent a systematic record review, a survey of the nursing staff and relatives, semi-structured interviews with network actors and a cost analysis. RESULTS: Pain management and palliation have been optimised. The possibilities of the dying have been improved; e.g. with hospice care places. 92% of the relatives experience HWW as a great help. In order for HWW to be successful, a clear distribution of responsibility between actors regarding shared care patients is required. In some cases, however, the GP has not been part of the shared care. HWW is more expensive for the hospital and the municipalities. An explanation may be that the patients with the optimised pain management and palliation probably live longer. DISCUSSION: Specialised pain management and palliation, shared care etc. have contributed to giving the dying safety and dignity. A palliative network like HWW gives a better but also more expensive palliative care.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Analgesia
- Family
- Hospice Care
- Hospices
- Hospital Units
- Humans
- Neoplasms
- Nursing Staff
- Palliative Care
- hsrmtgs
UI: 103140737
From Meeting Abstracts