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The following is a summary of “Development of a patient assessment to meet the needs of patients suffering from advanced non-oncological diseases – the KOPAL trial,” published in the February 2025 issue of BMC Primary Care by Marx et al.
Patients with progressive non-oncologic diseases receive primary care. Early palliative care (PC) improves quality of life and reduces symptoms.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to ensure the conversation guide addresses essential care aspects and identifies individual gaps and healthcare needs.
They conducted 3 focus groups with 4 patients, 7 healthcare providers, and 5 stakeholders. Each group discussed, revised, and consented to a draft of the conversation guide.
The results showed that the final KOPAL conversation guide includes eight key topics: living with illness, physical, emotional, personal, and social situations, information and communication, control and autonomy, and emergency management. Each topic has related subtopics, starting with the patient’s well-being and ending with their primary concern.
Investigators found that the KOPAL conversation guide addressed potential PC needs, supported case planning, and improved communication between professionals and patients.
Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-025-02750-z
