1. Telephone advice lines for adults with advanced illness and their family carers: a qualitative analysis and novel practical framework.
- Author
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Pask, Sophie, Omoruyi, Allen, Mohamed, Ahmed, Chambers, Rachel L, McFarlane, Phillippa G, Johansson, Therese, Kumar, Rashmi, Woodhead, Andy, Okamoto, Ikumi, Barclay, Stephen, Higginson, Irene J, Sleeman, Katherine E, and Murtagh, Fliss EM
- Subjects
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CROSS-sectional method , *HEALTH literacy , *PATIENTS' families , *CRITICALLY ill , *PATIENTS , *QUALITATIVE research , *INDEPENDENT living , *PALLIATIVE treatment , *MEDICAL personnel , *RESEARCH funding , *MEDICAL care , *INTERVIEWING , *MEDICAL record access control , *PATIENT care , *FAMILIES , *JUDGMENT sampling , *CAREGIVERS , *TELEPHONES , *CONCEPTUAL structures , *COMMUNICATION , *RESEARCH methodology , *ADULT education workshops , *COGNITION disorders , *ELECTRONIC health records , *LEGAL status of patients , *PATIENT-professional relations , *SOCIAL support , *QUALITY assurance , *TERMINALLY ill , *HEALTH promotion , *MEDICAL practice , *PATIENT participation , *ACCESS to information - Abstract
Background: Telephone advice lines have been recommended internationally to support around-the-clock care for people living at home with advanced illness. While they undoubtedly support care, there is little evidence about what elements are needed for success. A national picture is needed to understand, improve and standardise service delivery/care. Aim: To explore telephone advice lines for people living at home with advanced illness across the four UK nations, and to construct a practical framework to improve services. Design: A cross-national evaluation of telephone advice lines using structured qualitative interviews. A patient and public involvement workshop was conducted to refine the framework. Setting/participants: Professionals with responsibilities for how palliative care services are delivered and/or funded at a local or regional level, were purposively sampled. Results: Seventy-one interviews were conducted, covering 60 geographical areas. Five themes were identified. Availability : Ten advice line models were described. Variation led to confusion about who to call and when. Accessibility, awareness and promotion : It was assumed that patients/carers know who to call out-of-hours, but often they did not. Practicalities : Call handlers skills/expertise varied, which influenced how calls were managed. Possible responses ranged from signposting to organising home visits. Integration/continuity of care : Integration between care providers was limited by electronic medical records access/information sharing. Service structure/commissioning : Sustained funding was often an issue for charitably funded organisations. Conclusions: Our novel evidence-based practical framework could be transformative for service design/delivery, as it presents key considerations relating to the various elements of advice lines that may impact on the patient/carer experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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