A novel care guide for personalised palliative care - for improved quality of care

What is it about?

The needs of people facing serious illness or end-of-life are often poorly met and often initiated too late. There is a lack of structured guidelines for identifying and caring for patients; in particular for those with early palliative care needs and the quality of care can be improved. A care guide can act as a compass for best practice and support the care of patients throughout their palliative trajectory. This article describes the development and pilot testing of the Swedish Palliative Care Guide (S-PCG), which was based on broad professional cooperation, patients and family participation and clinical testing.

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Photo by Neil Thomas on Unsplash

Photo by Neil Thomas on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The S-PCG provides unique guidance for the care-team to provide holistic care of patients with serious illness and palliative care needs. It helps to identify, assess, address and follow up on the individual symptoms and care-needs throughout the whole palliative trajectory. The S-PCG can provide a comprehensive overview and shared understanding of the patients' needs and possibilities for ensuring optimal quality of life, and promotes support to the family.