This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Ogle, K. Articles by Wang, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ogle, K. Articles by Wang, T. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Hospice and primary care physicians: Attitudes, knowledge, and barriers

Program in Palliative Care Education and Research, Department of Family Practice, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Brian Mavis, PhD

Office of Medical Education Research and Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Tammy Wang, BS, BA

College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Underuse of hospice services is a significant problem in the United States. Primary care physicians constitute an increasing referral base and have been hypothesized to be important barriers to increased use. We conducted a mail survey of 131 primary care physicians (overall response rate of 72 percent), examining their attitudes toward, knowledge about, and perceived benefits and barriers to hospice care. Physicians demonstrated very favorable attitudes towards hospice. They had correct knowledge about most aspects of hospice, and, where they did not, they were far more likely to be uncertain than erroneous. Primary care physicians perceived many benefits to hospice care and identified patient and family readiness as the major barrier to earlier hospice referrals. A significant subgroup had concerns about problems in interacting with hospices. There were very few differences between family practitioners and general internists. These findings have many implications for directing collaborative efforts between primary care physicians and hospices to improve end-of-life care.

Key Words: end-of-life care • family practitioners • general internists • hospice • physicians’ attitudes • primary care

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, Vol. 20, No. 1, 41-51 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/104990910302000111


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C Knapp, L Thompson, V Madden, and E Shenkman Paediatricians' perceptions on referrals to paediatric palliative care Palliative Medicine, July 1, 2009; 23(5): 418 - 424. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Salz and N. T. Brewer Offering Chemotherapy and Hospice Jointly: One Solution to Hospice Underuse Med Decis Making, July 1, 2009; 29(4): 521 - 531. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Hiatt, C. Stelle, M. Mulsow, and J. Pearson Scott The Importance of Perspective: Evaluation of Hospice Care From Multiple Stakeholders American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, November 1, 2007; 24(5): 376 - 382. [Abstract] [PDF]

				N. L. Keating, L. J. Herrinton, A. M. Zaslavsky, L. Liu, and J. Z. Ayanian Variations in hospice use among cancer patients. J Natl Cancer Inst, August 2, 2006; 98(15): 1053 - 1059. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N Ahmed, J E Bestall, S H Ahmedzai, S A Payne, D Clark, and B Noble Systematic review of the problems and issues of accessing specialist palliative care by patients, carers and health and social care professionals Palliative Medicine, September 1, 2004; 18(6): 525 - 542. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. S. Sanders, T. L. Burkett, G. E. Dickinson, and R. E. Tournier Hospice referral decisions: The role of physicians American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, May 1, 2004; 21(3): 196 - 202. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. R. Wilson and G. M. Reisfield More patients served by hospice, but still a last resort American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, May 1, 2003; 20(3): 173 - 174. [PDF]