A systematic review of the literature found strong evidence that using outcome measures and feeding back that information to staff improved the processes of care – including better symptom recognition, more discussion of quality of life, and increased pertinent referrals for further help.
Dr Murtagh explains: “In palliative care populations, using outcome measures and feeding back the findings to staff improves awareness of unmet need and allows professionals to act to address patients’ needs.
“Using outcome measures also directly benefit patients’ emotional and psychological wellbeing. However, more high-quality evidence is needed in non-cancer populations and across a wider range of settings.
“This work is important, because we need to know how our care helps, what components of our care make the most difference, and whether this care meets the needs of patients and families well.”
Read Dr Murtagh’s article on the UK edition of ehospice, or access the research paper via the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management website.
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