Palliative care outpatient clinics and continuity of palliative care

Objectives. - To determine how outpatient clinics contribute to the activity of a mobile palliative care team and to compare patient outcome according to source of care (palliative care team versus outpatient clinic team). Method. - Retrospective study concerning years 2006 and 2007 including all patients who were seen in an outpatient setting either by the palliative care clinic physician or a member of the mobile palliative care team. Description of palliative care activity and of outpatient follow-up. Comparison of the demographic characteristics and follow-up of both patient groups. Results. - Seven hundred and thirty-nine patients were included during the study: 125 in the outpatient group and 625 in the mobile palliative care group. Mobile palliative care team patients attended 2271 consultations, outpatients 857. Outpatients were younger, in better general health, had a higher average number of consultations and better survival rate. Discussion.-Palliative care outpatient clinics provide a well-accepted response to the demands of patients and their physicians, reinforce palliative care team visibility and identify these teams as active participants in patient follow-up. Palliative care outpatient clinics facilitate more regular follow-up. Conclusion. - The designation of an outpatient clinic as specifically devoted to palliative care is, for us, a useful way to improve continuity of palliative care. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.