Abstract
Background: Interprofessional collaboration is an important part of palliative care. Effective communication and information exchange is essential for a high quality of care. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a new tool for exchanging information between professionals in palliative care on primary healthcare level. Methods: With suggestions from the experts regarding palliative care needs in an interprofessional team from the Delphi study and community nurses from the field, we developed a paper version of the tool. The paper version was tested in a pilot phase, and subsequently, we conducted ten semi-structured interviews with the users of the new tool to test its feasibility and usability. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, leading to improvement and development of the digital version of the new tool. Results: After completing the pilot phase of the research, we identified the following four categories: a systematic tool for more consistent treatment and better communication during the patient’s visit; training and empowerment; quality, safety and digitalization; these categories were later included in the final version of the digital communication tool. Conclusion: Effective palliative care requires a good exchange of information and communication between all care professionals who work with the patient. Effective communication contributes to making patients and their relatives feel safe in their home environment and allows patients to stay in their homes even as their disease progresses. The systematical new tool was assessed as useful to improve interdisciplinary cooperation and prepared in a digital version. Further research after the long-term use of the developed digital tool in everyday work might confirm its sustaining importance.
Highlights
Despite the achievements of modern medicine, many diseases continue to evade a cure.Progressive chronic diseases, such as cancer, often cause disability, suffering and death
They have expressed a desire for better collaboration and information exchange between the professions, which would help them make some decisions on distance and reduce the number of unnecessary visits of palliative care patients to the emergency department (ED)
The participants in our study stressed the importance of interprofessional collaboration and underlined the importance of defining the competences of all individuals involved in providing palliative care
Summary
Despite the achievements of modern medicine, many diseases continue to evade a cure.Progressive chronic diseases, such as cancer, often cause disability, suffering and death. Despite the achievements of modern medicine, many diseases continue to evade a cure. Effective communication and information exchange is essential for a high quality of care. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a new tool for exchanging information between professionals in palliative care on primary healthcare level. Methods: With suggestions from the experts regarding palliative care needs in an interprofessional team from the Delphi study and community nurses from the field, we developed a paper version of the tool. Conclusion: Effective palliative care requires a good exchange of information and communication between all care professionals who work with the patient. The systematical new tool was assessed as useful to improve interdisciplinary cooperation and prepared in a digital version. Further research after the long-term use of the developed digital tool in everyday work might confirm its sustaining importance
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