Physicians' views on the usefulness and feasibility of identifying and disclosing patients' last phase of life: a focus group study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Accurate assessment that a patient is in the last phase of life is a prerequisite for timely initiation of palliative care in patients with a life-limiting disease, such as advanced cancer or advanced organ failure. Several palliative care quality standards recommend the surprise question (SQ) to identify those patients. Little is known about physicians' views on identifying and disclosing the last phase of life of patients with different illness trajectories.

Methods

Data from two focus groups were analysed using thematic analysis with a phenomenological approach.

Results

Fifteen medical specialists and general practitioners participated. Participants thought prediction of patients' last phase of life, i.e. expected death within 1 year, is important. They

SUBMITTER: Owusuaa C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11671977 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature