Elaboration of a Multi-dimensional Indicator of Quality in Palliative Care

Elaboration of a Multi-dimensional Indicator of Quality in Palliative Care

The purpose of this study is to elaborate a multi-dimensional indicator of the quality in palliative care for patients of end-of-life.

The study will, as secondary objectives:

• elaborate in a standard manner one set of indicators of organization and inner working of a palliative care setting.
• compare according to these indicators, the qualities of 3 types of palliative care: palliative care unit in hospitals, specified identified bed for palliative care patients and non-specified bed.
• explore the relationship between organizational aspects and results in term of burden.

A multicentric study aims on quality of palliative care and will be conducted in three types of 7 palliative care settings: two hospices, two hospital-based palliative care units and three medical units where a mobile palliative care team intervenes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged ≥ 18 years.
• Patient with serious progressive illness and in terminal phase (life expectancy < 3 months): OMS stage is 3 or 4, regardless of etiology.
• Patient informed their diagnosis or not.
• Hospitalized at the moment of inclusion in one of the following care settings: palliative care unit, identified bed or non-identified bed in a care department of short stay.
• No-oppose to participate to the study, by patients, their families or trusted person.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient has difficulties in reading, writing or understanding french language, also their family.
• Hospitalization in the palliative care setting < 48 hours.