Susanne Lind1, Jan Adolfsson2, Bertil Axelsson3, Carl Johan Fürst4. 1. Palliative Research Centre, Ersta Sköndal University College and Ersta Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. 2. Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 3. Department of Radiation Sciences, University of Umeå, Umeå, Sweden FoU unit, Östersunds Hospital, Östersund, Sweden. 4. Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: All patients with palliative and end of life care needs should be guaranteed equal and safe treatment and care, regardless of their disease or site of care. The inclusion of quality indicators in national guidelines and other guiding documents supports quality assurance and improvement in provision of care. The aim of this paper was to review existing quality indicators in national Swedish policy documents relevant to palliative and end of life care. METHODS: We reviewed existing guidelines for diseases expected to require palliative care issued by the National Board of Health and Welfare, existing regional clinical practice guidelines and the annual report of the Swedish Register of Palliative Care (SRPC) up until 2010. RESULTS: We found 11 quality indicators pertinent to palliative and end of life care in the guidelines for cancer diseases and 'The care and nursing of the elderly'. The indicators included assessment and treatment of pain, communication with the patient and the family, documentation in the patient record and registration in the SRPC. In the national guidelines for cardiology, pulmonary diseases, stroke, diabetes and dementia, there were no indicators relevant for palliative or end of life care. CONCLUSIONS: In the existing Swedish national guidelines for many different diseases, there is still a great need to define clinically relevant and feasible outcome measures of quality of palliative and end of life care. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/
BACKGROUND: All patients with palliative and end of life care needs should be guaranteed equal and safe treatment and care, regardless of their disease or site of care. The inclusion of quality indicators in national guidelines and other guiding documents supports quality assurance and improvement in provision of care. The aim of this paper was to review existing quality indicators in national Swedish policy documents relevant to palliative and end of life care. METHODS: We reviewed existing guidelines for diseases expected to require palliative care issued by the National Board of Health and Welfare, existing regional clinical practice guidelines and the annual report of the Swedish Register of Palliative Care (SRPC) up until 2010. RESULTS: We found 11 quality indicators pertinent to palliative and end of life care in the guidelines for cancer diseases and 'The care and nursing of the elderly'. The indicators included assessment and treatment of pain, communication with the patient and the family, documentation in the patient record and registration in the SRPC. In the national guidelines for cardiology, pulmonary diseases, stroke, diabetes and dementia, there were no indicators relevant for palliative or end of life care. CONCLUSIONS: In the existing Swedish national guidelines for many different diseases, there is still a great need to define clinically relevant and feasible outcome measures of quality of palliative and end of life care. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/