title: Assessment of reasons for referral and activities of hospital palliative care teams using a standard format: a multicenter 1000 case description.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The many benefits of hospital palliative care teams (PCTs) are well known. However, their specific activities have not been fully clarified, and no standardized methods for reporting PCT activities are available.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate, through the use of a standard format, the activities performed by hospital PCTs in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective observational study. A total of 21 hospital PCTs were included in this study, and each recruited approximately 50 consecutively referred patients. Participating PCTs filled in a standard form for reporting activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained data from 1055 patients who were referred to PCTs. Of the 1055 patients, 1005 patients (95%) had cancer. The median number of reasons for referral and problems identified by PCTs was two (0-22) and four (0-18), respectively. The two major reasons for referral were pain (63%) and anxiety/depression/grief/emotional burden (22%). The major recommendations were pharmacological treatment (74%), care for the patient's physical symptoms (49%), and support for patient's decision making (38%). The major activities performed by the PCTs were comprehensive assessment (90%), care for the patient's physical symptoms (77%), and pharmacological treatment (74%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The components of hospital PCT activities were successfully measured using the Standard Format for Reporting Hospital PCT Activity. The results of this study and the format for reporting hospital PCT activity could be effective in improving hospital PCT practice and for the education of new hospital PCT members.
authors: Division of Health Innovation and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Electronic address: tsasahara@md.tsukuba.ac.jp.
authors: Tomoyo
authors: T
authors: Sasahara
authors: Saito-Yukokai Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Akiko
authors: A
authors: Watakabe
authors: Department of Palliative Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Etsuko
authors: E
authors: Aruga
authors: Palliative Care Team, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Fujimoto
authors: Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors: Kenjiro
authors: K
authors: Higashi
authors: Department of Palliative Care, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors: Ko
authors: K
authors: Hisahara
authors: Palliative Care Unit, NTT Medical Center Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Natsuki
authors: N
authors: Hori
authors: Children's Hospice Hospital, Yodogawa Christian Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Ikenaga
authors: Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Tomoko
authors: T
authors: Izawa
authors: Niizashiki Central General Hospital, Saitama, Japan.
authors: Yoshiaki
authors: Y
authors: Kanai
authors: Department of Palliative Medicine, National Cancer Center Hospital, East, Chiba, Japan.
authors: Hiroya
authors: H
authors: Kinoshita
authors: Palliative Care Team, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Kobayakawa
authors: Department of Chest Surgery, Toyama Red Cross Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
authors: Koichiro
authors: K
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Department of Palliative Care, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Kohara
authors: Miki
authors: M
authors: Namba
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Palliative Medicine, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors: Natsuko
authors: N
authors: Nozaki-Taguchi
authors: Division of Palliative Medicine, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors: Iwao
authors: I
authors: Osaka
authors: Division of Chemotherapy and Palliative Care, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: Mari
authors: M
authors: Saito
authors: Kameda Medical Center, Chiba, Japan.
authors: Ryuichi
authors: R
authors: Sekine
authors: Palliative Care Unit, Shakaihoken Kobe Central Hospital, Hyogo, Japan.
authors: Takuya
authors: T
authors: Shinjo
authors: Department of Palliative Medicine, Shizuoka Saiseikai General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors: Akihiko
authors: A
authors: Suga
authors: Matsuyama Red Cross Hospital, Ehime, Japan.
authors: Yuko
authors: Y
authors: Tokuno
authors: Department of General Internal Medicine, Saku Central Hospital, Nagano, Japan.
authors: Ryo
authors: R
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Department of Palliative Care, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan.
authors: Kinomi
authors: K
authors: Yomiya
authors: Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Palliative Care Team and Seirei Hospice, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors: Tatsuya
authors: T
authors: Morita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006753:Hospital Records; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D059408:Pain Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Palliative care; activity; consultation; hospital palliative care team; multicenter study