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The integration of palliative care with oncology: the path ahead.

Caglayan, Aydin, Redmond, Sarah, Rai, Supriya, Rabbani, Rukhshana Dina, Ghose, Aruni, Sanchez, Elisabet, Sheriff, Matin, Carrim, Joanna, Boussios, Stergios (2023) The integration of palliative care with oncology: the path ahead. Annals of palliative medicine, 12 (6). Article Number 1154. ISSN 2224-5820. E-ISSN 2224-5839. (doi:10.21037/apm-22-1154) (KAR id:103686)

Abstract

The delivery of comprehensive cancer care within a progressively intricate healthcare environment requires oncology providers to become well-versed in the integration of palliative care (PC). Moreover, as healthcare professionals are urged to prioritize the individual preferences of patients and their families who confront life-limiting illnesses, it has become evident that oncology patients and their families have identified their psychosocial care needs as multifaceted and distinct, calling for specialized attention from care providers. Nevertheless, this is a skill that can be acquired through learning and practice. The landscape of PC is rapidly changing, with paradigm shifting studies highlighting the importance of early concurrent palliative and oncology inpatient and outpatient care for those with new advanced cancer diagnosis. Early concurrent care can notably improve quality of life (QoL), symptom control, patient and caregiver satisfaction, reduce costs and even improve survival. There is no longer a question of if PC should be offered, but instead when referral should be completed, what is the optimal model for service delivery and what barriers are present to achieve concurrent care. Conceptual models have been identified for optimal integrated palliative and oncology care delivery. In order to provide the best integrated care however, multiple obstacles need to be overcome. This narrative review discusses the importance of early integrated oncology and PC for patients with advanced cancer diagnosis, as well as the barriers to the integration of these specialties and potential models for delivery.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.21037/apm-22-1154
Uncontrolled keywords: integrated care, models of care delivery, early palliative care, Palliative care (PC)
Subjects: R Medicine
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Kent and Medway Medical School
Funders: University of Kent (https://ror.org/00xkeyj56)
SWORD Depositor: JISC Publications Router
Depositing User: JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited: 20 Mar 2024 14:21 UTC
Last Modified: 05 Nov 2024 13:09 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/103686 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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