Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to describe how models of early integration (EI) of specialized palliative care (SPC) are applied to German comprehensive cancer center (CCCs).
Methods
Heads of SPC departments of the 15 German CCCs were asked by email to describe the situation of early SPC in their CCC. The responses were analyzed using MAXQDA.
Results
Thirteen answers were allowed to be analyzed. Most of the department heads report that EI models of SPC are partially applied in the CCC (responses with “yes” or “partly,” n = 10). Though they often describe that the models’ implementation needs optimization and depends on temporary and financial restrictions or it has a pilot character. Models compromise structures like SPC unit, inpatient/outpatient SPC consultation team, and participation of members of SPC team in tumor boards. Moreover, other EI models of SPC quoted by the participants were standard operating procedures (SOP), screening tools, and information material for physicians, patients, and their related persons.
Conclusions
Currently, German CCC models of EI of SPC are not applied in a standardized way. Approaches are still very diverse.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berendt J, Oechsle K, Thomas M, van Oorschot B, Schmitz A, Radbruch L, Simon ST, Gartner J, Thuss-Patience P, Schuler US, Hense J, Gog C, Viehrig M, Mayer-Steinacker R, Stachura P, Stiel S, Ostgathe C (2016) State of integration of palliative care at comprehensive cancer centers funded by German Cancer Aid. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 141:e16–e23
Gaertner JWU, Alt-Epping B (2015) Early specialized palliative care. A challenging gold standard. Onkologe 21:1182–1188
German guideline program in oncology evidenced-based guideline: palliative care for patients with incurable cancer. Short version. May 2015, URL: http://leitlinienprogramm-onkologie.de/uploads/media/Guideline_Palliative_Care_Short_Version_01.pdf, February 2017
Greer JA, Jackson VA, Meier DE, Temel JS (2013) Early integration of palliative care services with standard oncology care for patients with advanced cancer. CA Cancer J Clin 63:349–363
Hamano J, Morita T, Inoue S, Ikenaga M, Matsumoto Y, Sekine R, Yamaguchi T, Hirohashi T, Tajima T, Tatara R, Watanabe H, Otani H, Takigawa C, Matsuda Y, Nagaoka H, Mori M, Yamamoto N, Shimizu M, Sasara T, Kinoshita H (2015) Surprise questions for survival prediction in patients with advanced cancer: a multicenter prospective cohort study. Oncologist 20:839–844
Hui D, Elsayem A, De la Cruz M, Berger A, Zhukovsky DS, Palla S, Evans A, Fadul N, Palmer JL, Bruera E (2010) Availability and integration of palliative care at US cancer centers. JAMA 303:1054–1061
Hui D, Kim YJ, Park JC, Zhang Y, Strasser F, Cherny N, Kaasa S, Davis MP, Bruera E (2015) Integration of oncology and palliative care: a systematic review. Oncologist 20:77–83
Moss AH, Lunney JR, Culp S, Auber M, Kurian S, Rogers J, Dower J, Abraham J (2010) Prognostic significance of the “surprise” question in cancer patients. J Palliat Med 13:837–840
Radbruch LPS (2009) White paper on standards and norms for hospice and palliative care in Europe: part 2. European J Palliat Care 17:22–33
Salins N, Patra L, Usha Rani MR, Lohitashva SO, Rao R, Ramanjulu R, Vallath N (2016a) Integration of early specialist palliative care in cancer care: survey of oncologists, oncology nurses, and patients. Indian J Palliat Care 22:258–265
Salins N, Ramanjulu R, Patra L, Deodhar J, Muckaden MA (2016b) Integration of early specialist palliative care in cancer care and patient related outcomes: a critical review of evidence. Indian J Palliat Care 22:252–257
Schildmann EK, Groeneveld EI, Denzel J, Brown A, Bernhardt F, Bailey K, Guo P, Ramsenthaler C, Lovell N, Higginson IJ, Bausewein C, Murtagh FE (2016) Discovering the hidden benefits of cognitive interviewing in two languages: the first phase of a validation study of the Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale. Palliat Med 30:599–610
Smith TJ, Temin S, Alesi ER, Abernethy AP, Balboni TA, Basch EM, Ferrell BR, Loscalzo M, Meier DE, Paice JA, Peppercorn JM, Somerfield M, Stovall E, Von Roenn JH (2012) American Society of Clinical Oncology provisional clinical opinion: the integration of palliative care into standard oncology care. J Clin Oncol 30:880–887
World Health Organisation (2010) WHO Definition of palliative care. URL: http://www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/, February 2017
Acknowledgments
The authors thank to the German Cancer Aid on behalf of the palliative care working group of German CCCs for funding this study (110696).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Berendt, J., Stiel, S., Nauck, F. et al. Early palliative care: current status of integration within German comprehensive cancer centers. Support Care Cancer 25, 2577–2580 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3667-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3667-y