The following is a summary of “Defining the Denominator for Measuring Quality of End-of-Life Care in Children with Cancer: Results of a Nominal Group Technique,” published in the March 2024 issue of Pediatrics by Johnston et al.

In this study, the researchers sought to define the target population for applying newly developed quality measures in end-of-life (EOL) care for children with cancer. Through a series of nominal groups, panelists addressed the question: “Which children, diagnoses, conditions, or prognoses should be included when examining the quality of EOL care for children with cancer?” Panelists individually proposed responses, which were then collated and ranked by each participant. A team of pediatric oncology and palliative care clinician-scientists developed a coding structure to analyze responses and identify associated themes and subthemes. 

The study group conducted five nominal groups involving 44 participants, predominantly clinicians specializing in pediatric palliative care, pediatric oncology, or hospice, alongside researchers and bereaved parents. Responses clustered into five main themes, including poor prognosis cancer and specific treatment scenarios, which garnered the most points. This framework guides the identification of the target population for pediatric EOL quality measures, offering valuable insights for enhancing care quality, research endeavors, and clinical program development.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022347624001410