Original Title: Hospice uden mure – medicinsk teknologivurdering af et palliativt netværk i samspil mellem sektorer

Authors' objectives: The purpose of the health technology assessment has been to investigate the consequences of a network-based organisation like 'Hospice without Walls' compared to a more sector divided effort. The overall planning question of the project is: What are the consequences to the pain treatment, the palliative care, the patient, the organisation, the personnel and the economy of establishing a 'Hospice without Walls' in the sense of a palliative network within an area like the municipalities of Skanderborg and Odder?

Authors' recommendations: In general, this HTA-project gives the impression of a palliative network with several obvious advantages to the patient, the relatives and the personnel. However, the HTA-project has also illustrated that improvements are required within certain areas. Counties and hospitals, which do not have palliative teams or only teams with limited outgoing functions as well as cooperation with the primary sector, may benefit from some of the experiences learnt from 'Hospice without Walls'. In relation to the debate concerning the establishment and the extension of hospices in Denmark it should be emphasised that 'Hospice without Walls' is not an alternative to an actual hospice. The palliative teams, which 'Hospice without Walls' represents, on the contrary applies to a larger group of terminal patients, who wish to die in their own homes and, consequently, employ the different offers that exist instead of spending the last time of their lives in a hospital. Many of these patients will not be relevant for a hospice, however, they still deserve some attention. The experiences and elements from 'Hospice without Walls' may be used in other counties with the primary focus on palliation on a highly specialised level. Furthermore, focus should be on coherent patient sequences for the terminal patient and relatives as well as a fulfilment of the wishes that the patient may have in the last period of his or her life.

Authors' methods: Review

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2005

URL for published report: https://www.sst.dk/da/Udgivelser/2005/Hospice-uden-mure---medicinsk-teknologivurdering-af-et-palliativt-netvaerk-i-samspil-mellem-sektorer

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Denmark

Organisation Name: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment

Contact Address: National Board of Health, PO Box 1881, Islands Brygge 67, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. Tel: 45 72 22 74 48; Fax: 45 72 22 74 07/67

Contact Name: dacehta@sst.dk

Contact Email: dacehta@sst.dk

Copyright: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment (DACEHTA)