Tools for Practice

Description:

The aim of this document is to support providers and system level leadership in earlier identification of patients who would benefit from palliative care. This document provides guidance on preferred identification tools and suggested assessment tools for all health care sectors along with implementation considerations. The tools can be used in various health care settings including primary care, home & community care, acute care and long-term care.

The document can be used by system planners, Regional Palliative Care Networks (RPCNs), provider agencies and hospitals to guide the selection of identification and assessment tools when implementing earlier identification initiatives. The tools recommended in this document can assist providers in determining when palliative care should be introduced, and what additional resources, supports and services should be initiated to address individual and family needs in a timely manner. Importantly, this document can be used to promote the scale and spread of earlier palliative care, encouraging broader use of these tools across care settings.

This document complements the OPCN Health Services Delivery Framework (Delivery Framework) Recommendations, and aligns with Health Quality Ontario’s (HQO) quality standard, Palliative Care: Care for Adults with a Progressive, Life-Limiting Illness2 (‘Palliative Care Quality Standard’); it is also a priority in the Ontario Palliative Care Network (OPCN) Action Plan 1.