The following is a summary of “Building a Cardiac Palliative Care Program: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Ten Program Leaders From Across the United States,” published in the March 2023 issue of Pain Management by Blum, et al.

Although palliative care is recommended for patients with advanced heart failure (HF), there is a lack of studies investigating the provision of cardiac palliative care in the United States. For a study, researchers sought to examine how cardiac palliative care programs deliver services and identified the challenges and facilitators encountered during program development.

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted, utilizing purposive and snowball sampling methods to identify leaders of cardiac palliative care programs across the United States. A survey was administered, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze and evaluate the interview transcripts.

Cardiac palliative care programs exhibited variations in their organizational structures but shared a common goal of providing comprehensive interdisciplinary palliative care services, ideally spanning the entire care continuum. These programs primarily served patients with HF who required evaluation for advanced therapies or had complex needs. Challenges faced by cardiac palliative care programs included identifying and reaching cardiac patients most in need of palliative care and collaborating with cardiologists who may not perceive the added value of palliative care for their patients. Facilitators for the development of cardiac palliative care programs included establishing personal relationships with cardiology providers, proactively assessing the needs of local institutions, and tailoring palliative care services to meet the needs of patients and providers.

Cardiac palliative care programs may differ in organizational structures, but they offer similar services and encounter comparable challenges. The identified challenges and facilitators can guide the development of future cardiac palliative care programs, ensuring the provision of optimal care for patients with advanced HF.

Source: jpsmjournal.com/article/S0885-3924(23)00441-4/fulltext