Clinicians' experiences with cancer patients living longer with incurable cancer: a focus group study in the Netherlands.

Aim: To explore (1) experiences of primary care physicians (PCPs) and oncological medical specialists about providing care to patients living longer with incurable cancer, and (2) their preferences concerning different care approaches (palliative support, psychological/survivorship care support).

Background: At present, oncological medical specialists as well as PCPs are exploring how to improve and better tailor care to patients living longer with incurable cancer. Our previous study at the in-patient oncology unit showed that patients living longer with incurable cancer experience problems in how to deal with a prognosis that is insecure and fluctuating.

[If problems arise during palliative sedation: considerations in sedation in the terminal phase].

Palliative sedation is increasingly being utilised when patients are close to death. Despite clear guidelines, its implementation is often problematic. In this clinical lesson we describe two patients in whom sedation did not go according to plan.

Telephone consultations on palliative sedation therapy and euthanasia in general practice in The Netherlands in 2003: a report from inside.

Background: GPs with a special interest and with specific training in palliative medicine (GP advisors) supported professional carers (mostly GPs) through a telephone advisory service. Each telephone call was formally documented on paper and subsequently evaluated.

Objective: Data from 2003 were analysed independently to reveal how often and in what way palliative sedation and euthanasia were discussed.

The New Millennium Palliative Care Project (2000-2003): the impact of specialised GP advisors.

This study describes a novel type of support for GPs caring for patients dying at home: the establishment and evaluation of a telephone advisory service for GPs, run by GPs with a special interest in palliative care (GPwSIs) in the Netherlands 2000-2003. A growing number of GPs called for advice, 10% during out of hours. Prognosis of the patients was generally short (days to weeks in 70% of cases).