Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/11054/783
Title: Is today a good day to die?
Authors: Fitzpatrick, Denise
Odgers, Jade
Penney, Wendy
Day, Keren
Issue Date: 2015
Conference Name: Western Alliance Second Annual Symposium: Exploring the big questions in Regional and Rural health.
Conference Date: August 21, 2015
Conference Place: Ballarat, Victoria
Abstract: Background: Acute hospitals provide end-of-life care to the majority of people who die in Australia. Decisions about whether it is appropriate to escalate life-sustaining measures in patients with chronic, life-limiting illness are often postponed until there is a sudden deterioration. Then, families and health care workers are often required to make medical decisions without knowing the patient’s preferences. Ballarat Health Services is a regional public health service providing acute, subacute, aged residential and community services. It was recognised that while the health service had implemented a range of end-of-life care elements, this was not comprehensive or integrated. Aim: To develop an integrated, systematic approach to delivering best-practice end-of-life care. Methods: A multidisciplinary project steering group was established with key executives participating. Ethics approval was granted and this enabled key stakeholder consultation using focus groups and semi-structured interviews to establish attitudes to end of life care and death. Medical record and mortality review informed the establishment of outcome measures. Results: A framework has been developed to integrate the end-of-life care elements of: advance care planning, identifying patients at risk of deteriorating or dying, medical goals of care documentation, a Care of the Dying Management Plan and explicit communication skills training.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/11054/783
Internal ID Number: 00762
Health Subject: ADVANCE CARE PLANNING
CARE OF THE DYING MANAGEMENT PLAN (CDMP)
CRITICAL CARE
PALLIATIVE CARE
PALLIATIVE CARE - TRAINING
TERMINAL CARE
Type: Conference
Presentation
Appears in Collections:Research Output

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