CSI | EAPC 2017| MADRID Project Summary Sheet
DINAMO Project Summary
Aim: To enhance advanced training and research to optimise home palliative care in Portugal. Objectives: o To review the evidence on the practice and research of home palliative care; o To estimate current and future needs for home palliative care; o To elicit the preferences of patients and families for aspects of home palliative care; o To develop and pilot a new model of home palliative and the methods to evaluate it; o To evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the proposed model of care. Outcomes: o 11 publications in peer-reviewed journals; o 2 book chapters and 2 reports; o 8 MSc in Palliative Care dissertations; o More than 30 invited and keynote lectures, and presentations at research conferences and clinical-academic meetings, nationally and internationally.
FAQ’s Q. Which specific studies have been conducted within the project? A. We conducted several studies but highlight three. Firstly, in 2013 we published a Cochrane review on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of home palliative care services, which demonstrated benefits in terms of increased chances of dying at home and reduced symptom burden for patients. Currently, we are updating this review, planned to be out by the end of 2017. A second study, published in Palliative Medicine in 2016, analysed the past trends and future projections of mortality by place of death in Portugal, showing that if the current trend towards hospitalised dying continues, the number of hospital deaths will increase by at least 28% by 2030. A third study is a discrete choice experiment to determine what attributes of home palliative care patients’ and family carers’ value the most. This has just been completed with 100 families and we are currently analysing the data. We have conducted several other studies, including eight very exciting MSc research projects, targeting different aspects of palliative care. Please see the DINAMO flyer for more information on all of these studies.
Q. What has changed so far due to research conducted in DINAMO? A. Showing the benefits of home palliative care, our research has contributed to growing home support at the end of life internationally. In Portugal, our leader (Dr. Barbara Gomes) advised the new Portuguese Strategic Plan for Palliative Care that aims to triple the number of home palliative care teams by 2018. Our studies have had extensive media coverage, which contributed to increasing awareness about the importance of end of life care, in particular of home support, among the public, policy-makers, health and social care professionals.
Q. When does the project end? A. In December 2017. We will have a final event in November, check out our webpage (below) for updates. Point of contact: Maja de Brito, maja.furlan_de_brito@kcl.ac.uk Webpage: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lsm/research/divisions/cicelysaunders/research/studies/DINAMO/dinamo.aspx