Development of a Palliative Care Model for End Stage Cancer Patient at Khok Samrong Hospital.

Abstract

     The objectives of this research were (1) to study the current situation of palliative care for End Stage Cancer Patient, (2) to develop a palliative care model for End Stage Cancer Patient at Khok Samrong Hospital, and (3) to examine the effectiveness of the developed model. The study employed action research consisting of three phases. Phase 1 involved situational analysis through focus group discussions with healthcare providers and in-depth interviews with caregivers. Phase 2 focused on developing the model, drafting and validating its content (IOC = 0.82), and pilot testing before final revision. Phase 3 evaluated the effectiveness of the model among 32 terminal cancer patients and 32 caregivers. Research instruments included the Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS), a caregiver satisfaction questionnaire, and a healthcare team satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests.

     The developed palliative care model comprised three key components: (1) advance care planning, (2) holistic palliative care based on the “LIFESS” concept, and (3) end-of-life care management. The findings revealed that the POS scores significantly decreased after implementation (p < 0.05), indicating reduced suffering and improved patient outcomes. Caregivers’ satisfaction was at a high level (Mean = 4.08, SD = 0.108), and healthcare providers’ satisfaction was also high (Mean = 4.48, SD = 0.239).