Experience of temporary discharge from the inpatient palliative care unit: A nationwide post-bereavement survey for end-of-life cancer patients

Abstract

Background: Some patients admitted to an inpatient palliative care unit (PCU), and who were discharged temporarily to home, later died at the PCU. The experiences of these patients and their families during temporary discharge are unclear.Methods: This study was part of a nationwide post-bereavement survey, the Japan Hospice and Palliative Care Evaluation 3 study. We sent questionnaires to the bereaved relatives of cancer patients who died in a PCU in 2018.Results: Of the 968 questionnaires sent, 571 (59%) were analyzed. Sixteen percent of the patients experienced temporary discharge from the PCU. Seventy-two percent of the bereaved family reported that the patients said, “I am happy to be discharged to home.” Between 22% and 37% of the patients reported an improvement in their condition after discharge. Family caregivers’ recognition of the better quality of the patient’s life at home and hospital doctors’ assurances of re-hospitalization whenever necessary, were significantly associated with positive experiences of temporary discharge.Conclusion: Bereaved family members recognized temporary discharge as a positive experience for both the patient and the family. Appropriate home palliative care and discharge planning contribute to positive experiences after discharge.