Attitudes of a Hemato-Oncology Team Toward Referring Patients to Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study.

Abstract

Objective: International literature suggests that patients with hematological diseases are frequently referred to palliative care (PC) at a late stage. This study aims to explore the attitudes of a hemato-oncology care team toward referring patients to the PC in a fourth-level hospital in Bogotá, Distrito Capital.

Methods: This exploratory qualitative study was conducted through in-person focus groups between May 2024 and October 2024 at Clínica Universitaria Colombia in Bogotá, Colombia. Data were analyzed thematically using framework analysis, an analytical approach that structures qualitative data around predefined themes aligned with the research question.

Results: This study identified key factors influencing the referral of patients with hematological malignancies to PC. These include symptom management, interdisciplinary collaboration, and perceived barriers such as misconceptions about PC, emotional attachment, and limited formal training among health care professionals.

Conclusion: While the hematology team acknowledges the value and benefits of PC, barriers such as prognostic uncertainty, emotional attachment, and insufficient training continue to hinder its early integration into the management of patients with hematological malignancies.