1450P Criteria for referral of cancer patients to palliative care in Indian hospitals: A modified Delphi consensus

Abstract

Globally, referral of cancer patients for palliative care is often patchy and delayed. A recent review synthesized the barriers to timely engagement of the palliative care team: absence of dedicated palliative teams, stigma with referral, presuppositions of oncologists, lack of clarity in referral criteria, etc. Guidelines from international societies like NCCN, WHO, ESMO may not completely apply to the Indian setting due to social differences and heterogenous health care systems. Our aim was to understand the views of our oncologists and use that to develop local referral guidelines for palliative care.