Defining the palliative care patient: A systematic review.

Authors :: Van Mechelen, Wouter
Aertgeerts, Bert
De Ceulaer, Karolien
Thoonsen, Bregje
Vermandere, Mieke
Warmenhoven, Franca
Van Rijswijk, Eric
De Lepeleire, Jan
Source :: Palliative Medicine. Mar2013, Vol. 27 Issue 3, p197-208. 12p. 1 Diagram, 1 Chart, 4 Graphs.
Publication Year :: 2013
Abstract: The article defines the characteristics of palliative care patient. It is mentioned that for clear descriptions of palliative care patients, design involves a systematic review of medical literature for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). It suggests that elements of the patients' health status and the care delivered to them should be included in the definition of a palliative care patient. It is concluded that published RCTs have no clear definitions of palliative care patients.