Collaboration between prehospital emergency medical teams and palliative care networks allows a better respect of a patientʼs will

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate whether patient's wishes were respected by prehospital emergency medical teams after implementing collaboration and a standardized process between a community-based palliative network and the Emergency Medical Service system. Forty patients were included. In 75% of cases, the doctor of the prehospital emergency team decided in collaboration with the network's doctor according to the established procedure. This has enabled a respect of the care plan in 83% of cases. Without collaboration with the palliative care network, through the ignorance of its existence or through the wish of the prehospital emergency medical teams for taking decisions alone, the care plan was only respected in 40% of cases, P=0.025. Collaboration between prehospital emergency medical teams and community-based palliative care networks seems to enable a better respect of the care plan in the event of emergency situations affecting the patient in a palliative situation.