Palliative care transitions from acute care to community-based care: a systematic Review

• Saunders S, Killackey T, Kurahashi A, et al. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2019;58:721–734.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2019.06.005.

This systematic review looked at how inpatient-specialised palliative care programme support the move of patients from the hospital to the community setting. Eight studies were included; six quasi-experimental studies and two randomised controlled trials. The patient groups included two studies that were only cancer patients, 1 study had patients with end-stage heart failure and five had mixed diseases. From all the studies, 3 interventions were reported: a screening tool to initiate inpatient palliative care consultation, a discharge planning for the community, and interventions that provided transitional care in both hospital and the community. Reported common significant outcomes were length of stay (n=5), discharge support (n=5), and hospital readmissions for those who received inpatient palliative care (n=6). There was no universally reported outcome, and the studies were heterogeneous in design and results. The studies were all of low quality. The authors summarise that research is needed to find out what has the maximal impact on improving transitions from hospital to the community.

Eating-related distress in advanced cancer patients with cachexia and family members: a survey in palliative and supportive care settings

• Amano K, Morita T, Koshimoto S, et al …