PallPan

National strategy for palliative care in times of pandemic

A man in a shirt and cardigan is sitting. In front of him stands a woman in a smock - presumably a physician - filling out a piece of paper pinned to a notepad. Both people are wearing protective masks.
Copyright: konstantin_yuganov/Institute ofGeneral Medicine and Palliative Medicine/MHH

Background

Situations such as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in 2020 pose major challenges for healthcare systems. People will die as a result of the infectious disease. In addition, people continue to die from cancer or other advanced chronic diseases without suffering from an infectious disease. The healthcare system must be strategically prepared for future pandemics in order to (1) improve the care of infected people and (2) ensure the care of all patients.

 

Aims

The aim of the project is to develop and agree on a national strategy for the care of seriously ill, dying and deceased adults and their relatives during a pandemic:

  • Recommendations for action on general and specialized palliative care for patients with and without infections at micro, meso and macro level,
  • Collection and development of information material for an online information platform and
  • Identification of variables for the scientific recording of palliative care in times of pandemic for a research database.

 

Methods

Experiences, challenges and solutions in the current pandemic situation with regard to the care of seriously ill and dying patients (with/without COVID-19) and their relatives are to be described (a) by general practitioners using a Germany-wide online questionnaire, (b) by oncologists in private practice using qualitative guideline-based interviews, (c) by outpatient nursing services using qualitative guideline-based interviews and (d) by old people's and nursing homes as well as Facilities or Institutions for Integration Assistance using qualitative guideline-based interviews.


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Copyright: NetzwerkUniMed

Participating locations

LMU Munich - Department of Palliative Medicine; University of Cologne - Center for Palliative Medicine; University Hospital RWTH Aachen - Department of Palliative Medicine; University Hospital Bonn - Department of Palliative Medicine; University Hospital Düsseldorf - Interdisciplinary Center for Palliative Medicine; University Hospital Erlangen - Department of Palliative Medicine; University Hospital Freiburg - Department of Palliative Medicine; University Medical Center Göttingen - Clinical Department for Palliative Medicine; Hannover Medical School - Institute ofGeneral Medicine and Palliative Medicine (AG Palliativversorgung); University Medical Center Jena - Department of Palliative Medicine; University Medical Center Rostock - Clinical Department III (Hematology/Oncology/Palliative Medicine); University Medical Center Würzburg - Interdisciplinary Center for Palliative Medicine


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Copyright: Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Funding

The project is funded as part of the National Research Network University Medicine. The funding period runs from 01.08.2020 to 31.03.2021. Further information on the project can be found on the PallPan page of the National Research Network University Medicine.


Contact

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Copyright: MHH

PallPan - Team

  • Prof. Dr. Nils Schneider (Project Manager)
  • Prof. Dr. Dr. Stephanie Stiel (Project Manager)
  • Jan Weber (Research Assistant)
  • Jannik Martin Tielker (PhD student)
  • Nilab Kamandi (Voluntary Scientific Year)

 

PallPan - Project Office:

Phone: +49 511 532-4548

 

Address:

Hannover Medical School

Institute ofGeneral Medicine and Palliative Medicine

Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1

30625 Hanover