title: [Availability and integration of palliative medicine at certified lung cancer centers].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is the aim of the certification system for Organ Cancer Centers of the German Cancer Society to ensure that oncology patients receive therapy meeting high quality standards. Lung cancer patients require comprehensive palliative care due to their high symptom load. The purpose of the present study was to identify the existing palliative care structures at 39 certified lung cancer centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey tool used was an 18-question questionnaire sent by surface mail to the respective centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 30 centers took part in the survey. A physician with the additional qualification 'palliative care' was employed at 21 of the centers, a certified palliative care nurse worked at 24 centers. A palliative care unit was available at 9 centers. The cited obstacles to the delivery of palliative care included a shortage of qualified palliative care staff, a lack of refinancing, and the concern that the suggestion of palliative care might cause negative emotions in the respective patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certified lung cancer centers had a wide range of palliative care structures. Openness to and interest in extending existing palliative care services were most commonly identified. A number of serious obstacles in achieving this goal were nevertheless cited.
authors: Abteilung für Palliativmedizin, Innere Medizin III, Hämatologie/Onkologie/Palliativmedizin, Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Wiesbaden.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Wagner
authors: Forschungsgruppe Palliative Care, Klinik für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Meffert
authors: Forschungsgruppe Palliative Care, Klinik für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Becker
mesh_terms: D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002568:Certification; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data