Care of the dying in Australia's busiest hospital: Benefits of palliative care consultation and methods to enhance access

Abstract

Background: Hospital-based palliative care consultative teams assist with decision-making, symptom management, patient and family support, and discharge planning for those with advanced illness. However, there is evidence to suggest that many patients dying within acute hospitals receive no specialist palliative care input. This project aimed to assess care provided to patients dying within a large Australian hospital and to understand senior clinician decision-making around referral to palliative care. Methods: A multi-methods approach was taken that incorporated a literature review, a retrospective chart-audit using the Liverpool Care Pathway to assess quality of end-of-life care, and semi..