چکیده (انگلیسی):

Background:PaTz (an acronym for‘PAlliatieve Thuis Zorg’; palliative care at home) is an intervention to improve
palliative care provision and strengthen the generalist knowledge of palliative care. In PaTz general practitioners
and district nurses meet on a regular basis to identify patients with palliative care needs and to discuss care for
these patients. This study explores experiences with regard to collaboration between general practitioners and
district nurses, and perceived benefits of and barriers for implementation of PaTz.
Methods:This study is conducted within the primary care setting. Participants were 24 general practitioners who
filled in a questionnaire, and seven general practitioners, five district nurses and two palliative care consultants who
attended one of two focus groups.
Results:PaTz led to improved collaboration. Participants felt informational and emotional support from other PaTz
participants. Also they felt that continuity of care was enhanced by PaTz. Practical recommendations for
implementation were: meetings every 6 to 8 weeks, regular attendance from both general practitioners and district
nurses, presence of a palliative care consultant, and a strong chairman.
Conclusions:PaTz is successful in enhancing collaboration in primary palliative care and easy to implement.
Participants felt it improved continuity of care and knowledge on palliative care. Further research is needed to
investigate whether patient and carer outcomes improve.