An observational study in Palliative Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing and Palliative Care, sponsored by Azienda Usl di Bologna. Completed at 2 sites in Italy. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-07-13.
Sponsored by Azienda Usl di Bologna · Observational
This retrospective observational pre-post study aims to test the effects of introducing a remote telephonic consultation availability from the Palliative Care Service for a cohort of non-oncologic patients followed by the same service, their relatives, and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and family care physicians taking care of them.
The main question[s] it aims to answer are:
Due to the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic during the study period, a parallel cohort of oncologic patients under 24/7 palliative care by the same service during both the observation periods will be used as reference.
Participants will be followed up from the date of taking-over request to the Palliative Care Service to their death or the end of the period of observation if followup began during their last 90 days of life.
Otherwise, for those being already under home palliative care at the 90th day before their death, follow up will begin at that day.
Researchers will compare two time periods to see if the introduction of a remote telephonic consultation availability has an effect on the supra-mentioned aims.
Azienda Usl di Bologna is the lead sponsor of 40 studies on the registry; 13 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
The population in the study is composed of the whole population of patients followed by the palliative care metropolitan service of Bologna respecting the Eligibility criteria shown
Exclusion Criteria:
Oncologic patients took over from the Metropolitan Palliative Care Service and receiving home palliative care within their last 90 days of life between 1/1/2018 and 31/12/2019
Other: 24/7 Telephonic Palliative Care Service availability
Non-oncologic patients took over from the Metropolitan Palliative Care Service and receiving home palliative care within their last 90 days of life between 1/1/2018 and 31/12/2019
Oncologic patients took over from the Metropolitan Palliative Care Service and receiving home palliative care within their last 90 days of life between 1/1/2021 and 31/12/2022
Other: 24/7 Telephonic Palliative Care Service availability
Non-oncologic patients took over from the Metropolitan Palliative Care Service and receiving home palliative care within their last 90 days of life between 1/1/2021 and 31/12/2022
Other: 24/7 Telephonic Palliative Care Service availability
Metropolitan Palliative Care Service-implemented 24/7 telephonic availability service for the patients, their relatives, the EMS and Primary Care physicians taking care of them. After consultation, if the information and medical suggestions are not sufficient, an urgent ambulatory or home visit could be planned.
Emergency Department Admission rate of patients followed by the Palliative Care Service
Time frame: 48 months
EMS calls rate from patients followed by the Palliative Care Service
Time frame: 48 months
Main topics of the calls received from the Palliative Care Service after the full implementation of a 24/7 service
Classification of the topics of the calls into 5 main classes: "Clinical questions", "Caregiver Support", "Definition of care pathway", "Palliative sedation", "Other communications". The relative frequency of each main topic will be reported
Time frame: 24 months
Plan to share: No — IPD will be shared if requested under appropriate motivation
This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Azienda Usl di Bologna