Ownership, availability, and use of portable syringe drivers among hospices and home-care services.
We ascertained the ownership, availability and extent of use of portable syringe drivers among 236 hospice in-patient units and home-care services for the terminally ill in the United Kingdom by means of a postal questionnaire (97% response rate). Only 11 hospices and home-care services did not use them. The rest owned a median number of 4 but had only 1 in use. However, the combined hospice with home-care services owned relatively more than either hospices or home-care teams (median number 6 compared to 3.5 and 4 respectively) and used relatively more than the others (estimated median 2 [95% CI: 1-2] compared to 1 [95% CI: 0-1] and 1 [95% CI: 1-2] respectively). The major determinants of ownership and use among units with an in-patient facility were supply factors such as the numbers of trained nurses in palliative care and doctor half-day sessions, whereas for home-care units the number of patients cared for daily was the most important determinant. There does not seem to be any unmet demand for portable syringe drivers among hospices and home-care services.
Milner
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PC
Harper
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Williams
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D006699:Home Care Services / Q000592:standards*; D006738:Hospices / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce