TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose Literature suggests that integrated palliative care (IPC) increases the quality of care for palliative patients at lower costs. However, knowledge on models encompassing all integration levels for successfully implementing IPC is scarce. The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of IPC leaders in seven European countries regarding core elements, facilitators and barriers of IPC implementation and provides recommendations for future policy and practice.Design/methodology/approach A qualitative interview study was conducted between December 2013 and May 2014. In total, 34 IPC leaders in primary and secondary palliative care or public health in Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK were interviewed. Transcripts were analysed using thematic data analysis.Findings IPC implementation efforts involved a multidisciplinary team approach and cross-sectional coordination. Informal professional relationships, basic medical education and general awareness were regarded as facilitators of IPC. Identified barriers included lack of knowledge about when to start palliative care, lack of collaboration and financial structures. Recommendations for improvement included access, patient-centeredness, coordination and cooperation, financing and ICT systems.Originality/value Although IPC is becoming more common, action has been uneven at different levels. IPC implementation largely remains provisional and informal due to the lack of standardised treatment pathways, legal frameworks and financial incentives to support multilevel integration. In order to make IPC more accessible, palliative care education as well as legal and financial support within national healthcare systems needs to be enhanced.
VL  - 25
IS  - 3
SN  - 1476-9018
DO  - 10.1108/JICA-03-2017-0006
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-03-2017-0006
AU  - den Herder-van der Eerden Marlieke
AU  - Ewert Benjamin
AU  - Hodiamont Farina
AU  - Hesse Michaela
AU  - Hasselaar Jeroen
AU  - Radbruch Lukas
PY  - 2017
Y1  - 2017/01/01
TI  - Towards accessible integrated palliative care: Perspectives of leaders from seven European countries on facilitators, barriers and recommendations for improvement
T2  - Journal of Integrated Care
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 222
EP  - 232
Y2  - 2024/04/25
ER  -