The Impact of Provider Education on Pediatric Palliative Care Referral

Introduction: Palliative care can significantly benefit children managing a life-limiting illness; unfortunately, services are generally reserved for end of life. The aim of this project was to demonstrate how established guidelines coupled with provider education could impact referrals.

Methods: Educational sessions developed using information processing theory and outlining referral recommendations were offered to providers in the NICU, PICU, and Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at a tertiary care facility. Presurveys and postsurveys were administered at the time of the intervention and referral numbers for the organization were collected for two months prior and two months following.

Results: Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used to compare survey data and referral rates.

Discussion: Palliative care is imperative for meeting patient goals and optimizing quality of life. Provider knowledge of referral criteria ensures that patients receive this service early in their disease trajectory and can benefit from its inclusion within their care team.