BMJ Open (Oct 2022)

Outpatient palliative care referral system (PCRS) for patients with advanced cancer: an impact evaluation protocol

  • Filippo de Braud,
  • Alessandra Raimondi,
  • Salvatore Provenzano,
  • Marta Brambilla,
  • Cinzia Brunelli,
  • Monica Niger,
  • Ernesto Zecca,
  • Paola Bracchi,
  • Silvia Lo Dico,
  • Mariangela Caputo,
  • Alessandra Pigni,
  • Viviana Fusetti,
  • Antonino Tallarita,
  • Cristiana Bergamini,
  • Pierangela Sepe,
  • Sara Alfieri,
  • Gabriele Tinè,
  • Augusto Tommaso Caraceni

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059410
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 10

Abstract

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Introduction Early palliative care (PC) in the clinical pathway of advanced cancer patients improves symptom control, quality of life and has a positive impact on overall quality of care. At present, standardised criteria for appropriate referral for early PC in oncology care are lacking. The aim of this project is to develop a set of standardised referral criteria and procedures to implement appropriate early PC for advanced cancer patients (the palliative care referral system, PCRS) and test its impact on user perception of quality of care received, on patient quality of life and on the use of healthcare resources.Setting Selected oncology clinics and PC outpatient clinic.Methods and analysis A scoping literature review and an expert consultation through a nominal group technique will be used to revise existing referral tools and to develop a new one, the PCRS. 25 patients will be enrolled in a pilot study to assess feasibility of the implementation of PCRS; 10 interviews with patients and healthcare professionals will be carried out to evaluate applicability.A pretest–post-test quasiexperimental study involving 150 patients before implementation of the PCRS and 150 patients after implementation will be carried out.Patient satisfaction with care received, quality of life and use of resources, and caregiver satisfaction with care will also be assessed to explore the impact of the intervention.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval for the study has been granted by the Institutional Review board of the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori; approval reference INT201/19.Results will be disseminated through open access publications and through scientific communication presented at national and international conferences.Trial registration number NCT04936568.