Implementation of Primary Palliative Care in five Belgian regions: A qualitative study on early identification of palliative care needs by general practitioners

Figures & data

Table 1. Components of the CPPPC [5].

1) Early identification of palliative care patients with the surprise question [7] and/or the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicator Tool [8]

2) Early assessment using the Palliative Performance Scale [9] anticipatory care planning and a holistic assessment including biological psychological social and existential aspects

3) Interdisciplinary discussion

4) Registration in palliative care pathway file accessible to all team members

5) Follow-up by the team recognising the early, transitional and dying stages within the palliative care continuum.

Table 2. Leading theoretical frameworks for the design of the protocol and the analysis.

Quality of palliative care [6]	Improvement of health care [10]
(C1) Communication	(1) the intervention itself
(C2) Coordination	(2) the professionals working with it
(C3) Control of Symptoms	(3) the patients confronted with it
(C4) Continuity of Care	(4) the social context in which the intervention takes place
(C5) Continued Learning	(5) the administrative/economic/organisational context
(C6) Caregiver Support	(6) the implementation method
(C7) Care in the Dying Phase

Table 3. Characteristics of the participating family physicians (n = 41).

Cluster	Antwerp 1: 3	Antwerp 2: 4	Mons: 7	Brussels-D^1: 10	Brussels-F^2: 5	Limburg: 9	Namur: 3
Age category	<36: 4	36–45: 3	46–55: 15	56–65: 13	>65: 6
Sex	M: 25				F: 16
Practice category	Single: 11	Duo: 7	Group: 12	Multi-disciplinary: 11
Payment category	Fee: 30			Capitation: 11
Number of PC patients last year	0: 2	1–3: 16	4–10: 18	>10: 5
Times PC education last 5 years	None: 3		Once: 11		More than once: 27
Location	Urban: 21		Semi-rural: 16		Rural: 4

¹Brussels-D: Dutch-speaking GPs in Brussels.

²Brussels-F: French-speaking GPs in Brussels.

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