Integrating a quality of life assessment and practice support system in palliative home care

The results of this study will contribute much-needed knowledge about the use of electronic quality of life (QOL) assessments in palliative homecare nursing, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes of care for seriously ill older adults and their family caregivers who are living at home.

Research Results

Publications, presentations and webinars

For more information on why this research matters, click the links below:

Policy        Families        Researchers

About the Project

Routine assessment of the perceived healthcare needs of older adults with advancing and life-limiting illnesses is necessary to ensure that patients' and family caregivers' concerns are visible to healthcare professionals, so that they can be effectively monitored and addressed.

These types of assessments involve asking people to respond to questions about their symptoms, their physical, psychological, social and existential/spiritual wellbeing, and their experiences with health care. Handheld electronic systems are increasingly used and recommended to facilitate such QOL assessments. However, it is often unclear how to best implement these systems to facilitate uptake in practice. In addition, there is a need for information about the potential of such systems to improve patient- and family-centered outcomes.

This project involves working with clinicians, patients and family caregivers and will address the aforementioned issues through the integration into practice and evaluation of an innovative electronic QOL Assessment and Practice Support System (QPSS) in palliative homecare nursing.

Project Team

Principal Investigators:

Richard Sawatzky, PhD, MSc, BSc, RN -- Trinity Western University

Robin Cohen, PhD, MSc, BSc -- Jewish General Hospital

Co-Investigators:

Joan Bottorff, PhD -- University of British Columbia

Stirling Bryan, PhD -- University of British Columbia

Peter Dodek, MD, MHSc -- Providence Health Care

Anne Gadermann, PhD -- Providence Health Care

Gunn Grande, PhD -- University of Manchester

Joakim Öhlén, PhD -- Ersta Sköndal University College

Pamela Ratner, PhD, FCAHS, RN -- University of British Columbia

Sheryl Reimer Kirkham, PhD -- Trinity Western University

Kara Schick-Makaroff, PhD -- University of Alberta

Kelli Stajduhar, PhD, MSN, BN, RN -- University of Victoria

Herbert Tsang, PhD -- Trinity Western University

Knowledge Users and Partners:

Sharon Baxter, MSW -- Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association

Christie Beveridge -- Fraser Health Authority

Shelly Cory, MA -- Canadian Virtual Hospice

Mary-Anne Johnson, MSW -- Fraser Health End-of-Life Care Program

Hermia Lee -- Fraser Health Authority

Barbara McLeod, RN -- Fraser Health End-of-Life Care Program

Carolyn Tayler, RN, BSN, MSA, CON(C) -- Fraser Health End-of-Life Care Program

James Voth -- Intogrey Research and Development

Jean Warneboldt, MD, CCFP -- Fraser Health End-of-Life Care Program

Project Contact: Richard Sawatzky -- rick.sawatzky@twu.ca

CAT 2014-17