Measuring the level of palliative care need and referral rates to palliative care for adult patients in the East Metropolitan Health Service.
Royal Perth Hospital
$14,915
Coordinating Principal Investigator: Dr Alannah Cooper
Co-Investigators: Ms Dipna Martin-Robins, Ms Natalie Panizza, Ms Rebecca Bartlett (not pictured above), Ms Sally Coppock, A/Prof Janie Brown
Palliative care plays a crucial role in improving the lives of patients facing serious illnesses. It focuses on providing comprehensive support to patients and their families, addressing their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. One of the key benefits of palliative care is enhancing the quality of life for patients, even in the face of a life-limiting condition. It helps manage symptoms such as pain, nausea, and shortness of breath, allowing patients to experience greater comfort and relief. We know that early access to palliative care is associated with improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. However, there is evidence that many patients who could benefit from palliative care have delayed referrals or are not referred at all. This study builds on our research investigating palliative care need in adult medical and surgical inpatients at Royal Perth Bentley Group to explore the need of patients at Armadale and Midland hospital. This review will determine how many patients are receiving palliative care and how many could potentially benefit from palliative care. Obtaining estimates of the prevalence of patients with unmet palliative care needs will assist in planning adequate services.