TY - JOUR
T1 - Towards a standardized method of developing quality indicators for palliative care
T2 - Protocol of the Quality indicators for Palliative Care (Q-PAC) study
AU - Leemans, Kathleen
AU - Cohen, Joachim
AU - Francke, Anneke L.
AU - Stichele, Robert Vander
AU - Claessen, Susanne J.J.
AU - Block, Lieve Van Den
AU - Deliens, Luc
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank the Flemish Federation of Palliative Care for their support in the project. We also thank our experts for their time and excellent work. We thank Jane Ruthven for her language editing. The draft indicator set for palliative care in Flanders is available upon request from the authors. This study is part of the ‘Flanders Study to Improve End-of-Life Care and Evaluation Tools (FLIECE-project)’, a collaboration between the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Ghent University, the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, and VU University Medical Centre Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This study is supported by a grant from the Flemish government agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (agentschap voor Innovatie door Wetenschap en Technologie) (SBO IWT nr. 100036). Joachim Cohen and Lieve Van den Block are postdoctoral fellows of the Science Foundation Flanders.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Background: In recent years, there have been several studies, using a wide variety of methods, aimed at developing quality indicators for palliative care. In this Quality Indicators for Palliative Care study (Q-PAC study) we have applied a scientifically rigorous method to develop a comprehensive and valid quality indicator set which can contribute to a standardized method for use in other countries. Methods and design. Firstly, an extensive literature review identified existing international quality indicators and relevant themes for measuring quality in palliative care. Secondly, the most relevant of these were selected by an expert panel. Thirdly, those prioritized by the experts were scored by a second multidisciplinary expert panel for usability and relevance, in keeping with the RAND/UCLA-method, combining evidence with consensus among stakeholders. This panel included carers and policymakers as well as patients and next-of-kin. Fourthly, the draft set was tested and evaluated in practice for usability and feasibility; the indicators were then translated into questionnaires presented to patients, next-of-kin and care providers. To encourage the acceptance and use of the indicators, stakeholders, including national palliative care organizations, were involved throughout the whole project. Conclusion: Our indicator development trajectory resulted in a set of quality indicators applicable to all patients in all palliative care settings. The set includes patient and relative perspectives and includes outcome, process and structure indicators. Our method can contribute internationally to a more standardized and rigorous approach to developing quality indicators for palliative care.
AB - Background: In recent years, there have been several studies, using a wide variety of methods, aimed at developing quality indicators for palliative care. In this Quality Indicators for Palliative Care study (Q-PAC study) we have applied a scientifically rigorous method to develop a comprehensive and valid quality indicator set which can contribute to a standardized method for use in other countries. Methods and design. Firstly, an extensive literature review identified existing international quality indicators and relevant themes for measuring quality in palliative care. Secondly, the most relevant of these were selected by an expert panel. Thirdly, those prioritized by the experts were scored by a second multidisciplinary expert panel for usability and relevance, in keeping with the RAND/UCLA-method, combining evidence with consensus among stakeholders. This panel included carers and policymakers as well as patients and next-of-kin. Fourthly, the draft set was tested and evaluated in practice for usability and feasibility; the indicators were then translated into questionnaires presented to patients, next-of-kin and care providers. To encourage the acceptance and use of the indicators, stakeholders, including national palliative care organizations, were involved throughout the whole project. Conclusion: Our indicator development trajectory resulted in a set of quality indicators applicable to all patients in all palliative care settings. The set includes patient and relative perspectives and includes outcome, process and structure indicators. Our method can contribute internationally to a more standardized and rigorous approach to developing quality indicators for palliative care.
KW - Developing method
KW - End of life care
KW - Hospice care
KW - Outcome measures
KW - Palliative care
KW - Quality indicators
KW - Quality measurement
KW - Quality of care
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84873441622
U2 - 10.1186/1472-684X-12-6
DO - 10.1186/1472-684X-12-6
M3 - Article
SN - 1472-684X
VL - 12
JO - BMC palliative care
JF - BMC palliative care
IS - 1
M1 - 6
ER -