Abstract
BackgroundTo determine the international recommendations and current practices for the treatment and prevention of palliative emergencies. The primary goal of the study was to gather information from experts on their nationally practised concepts.MethodsOne hundred and fifty self-report surveys were distributed by email to selected leading experts (palliative and emergency medical care) in Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. An expert in this context was defined as an author of an article that was ranked by three reviewers as relevant to outpatient palliative and emergency medical .ResultsThe total response rate was 61% (n = 92 experts). Survey responses were obtained from 35 different countries. The following standards in the treatment of palliative emergencies were recommended: (1) early integration of “Palliative Care Teams” (PCTs) and basic outpatient palliative care systems, (2) end-of-life discussions, (3) defined emergency medical documents, drug boxes, and “Do not attempt resuscitation” orders and (4) emergency medical training (physicians and paramedics).ConclusionsThis study detected structurally and nationally differences in outpatient palliative care regarding the treatment of palliative emergencies. Accordingly, these differences should be discussed and adapted to the respective specifications of individual single countries. A single established outpatient palliative emergency medical care concept may be the basis for an overall out-of-hospital palliative care system.
Highlights
To determine the international recommendations and current practices for the treatment and prevention of palliative emergencies
Using defined free-text search terms and key words (“palliative medicine” and “emergency medicine”, “palliative emergency”, “end of life decision”, “CPR” and “palliative care”, “palliative care” and “emergency medicine”), three independent reviewers conducted a search and the review of the PubMed, Medline, EMBASE medical. An expert in this context was defined as an author of an article that was ranked by all three of the reviewers as relevant to Specialised palliative care services (SPCS) and emergency medical care
The participants in the investigation of SPCS reported it to be an important structure in the care of palliative emergencies in a home-care setting [1,2,3,4]
Summary
The primary goal of the study was to gather information from experts on their nationally practised concepts. The objective of this research was not to assess the different emergency medical care systems. The purpose of our study was not to establish a worldwide standard to treat palliative emergencies but to determine different possibilities for functioning outpatient palliative medical emergency structures and to discuss their approaches in general
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
