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Objective In Europe, volunteers have an important role in the delivery of palliative care. As part of the EU co-funded Europall project, 4 aspects of volunteering in palliative care were studied for 7 European countries (Belgium, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain). These included (1) involvement of volunteers in palliative care, (2) organization of palliative care volunteering, (3) legal regulations concerning volunteering, and (4) education and training of palliative care volunteering. Design/Setting/Methods A literature search combined with an interview study. Information from the scientific literature, and country-specific policy documents were obtained and completed, along with data of consecutive semi-structured interviews with experts in the field of palliative care in the participating countries. Results In all countries, volunteers appeared to be involved in palliative care, yet their involvement across health care settings differed per country. England, for example, has the highest number of volunteers whereas Spain has the lowest number. Volunteering is embedded in law and regulations in all participating countries except for England and the Netherlands. In all participating countries, training programs are available and volunteers are organized, both on a national and a regional level. Conclusion This study provides a descriptive overview of volunteer work in palliative care in 7 European countries, with a focus on the organizational aspects. Further research should concentrate on the roles and responsibilities of volunteers in the care for the terminally ill in different European health systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palliative medicine is a young specialty that is officially recognized in relatively few countries. The World Health Organization published an adapted definition in 2002, describing palliative care as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness. When the accent is shifting from curative to palliative, the goal of management is the maintenance or improvement of the patient's quality of life. The different dimensions of palliative care and the multitude of types of care to be provided require a multidisciplinary, well-functioning team, effective communication and a clear task division between primary and hospital care. Considering the complexity of care for incurable patients, a multidisciplinary approach is a prerequisite to balance curative and palliative intervention options. Optimal functioning of a team requires excellent training, communication and a description of the tasks and responsibilities of each team member. More and more advanced care planning is introduced in palliative care, focusing on an early identification of patients in a palliative trajectory and on the prevention of annoying symptoms, hoping that this approach results in an improved quality of life for the individual patient, less useless technical investigations and a better end-of-life care on the place the patient and his family desires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

▪ Abstract Off-label medication use is common practice, particularly in difficult to treat patients who have already tried commonly accepted medication unsuccessfully. Health authorities try to regulate this practice to protect the patient's safety and to prevent over consumption of new and more expensive drugs. Justified off-label drug use requires a thorough assessment. Physicians, in cooperation with formulary committees, need tools to structure this assessment. The evaluation algorithm for off-label prescription we present here, to be used after identification of a planned off-label application, consists of four steps. Step 1 indicates the extent of the problem and the need for further investigation. Step 2 is the decisional process evaluating the necessity of off-label use in identified prescriptions and confirmation as to what extent it needs further investigation. In step 3, the scientific knowledge to support the proposed off-label use is gathered in a short or extensive evaluation trajectory. The short trajectory consists of assembling the information approved in other countries or in accepted guidelines and textbooks, whereas the extensive trajectory is necessary when the indication, route, or formulation is not approved nationally or internationally. Assessment needs to be based on a literature research on the clinical and pharmacological information of the product. Step 4 is the acceptance or rejection of the off-label use of the drug for the indication at hand. Those four steps need to be carefully documented. Treatment outcome will then be closely monitored, documented, and made available to professionals, thus allowing for regular update of recommendations. This algorithm can help formulary committees to develop a strategy for evaluating off-label prescriptions in well-defined conditions, and help healthcare providers to develop protocols and guidelines. ▪ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]