A qualitative study exploring the pros and cons of universal pediatric palliative care referral at diagnosis for children with cancer.

BACKGROUND

Early integration of pediatric palliative care (PPC) offers significant benefits for children with cancer, yet referrals often occur late in the child's cancer trajectory.

OBJECTIVES

As part of a larger project looking at barriers and facilitators to early integration of PPC, this study explored the perspectives of healthcare providers (HCPs) on the pros and cons of a universal referral system where all children with cancer are referred to PPC at diagnosis.

METHODS

Using the grounded theory method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 66 oncology and PPC providers across 4 tertiary cancer centers in Canada. Interviews were coded line-by-line to explore patterns and themes across the dataset.

RESULTS

Three key benefits emerged that included: reducing stigma and normalizing PPC as standard care, fostering early relationship building with patients and families, and minimizing HCP subjectivity in making PPC referrals. Cons included the idea that universal referral was a poor use of resources, particularly for children with curable cancers, and that this system lacked usefulness for patients and families.

SIGNIFICANCE OF

RESULTS

Universal referral can promote equitable, timely, and family-centered integration of PPC in pediatric oncology. However, these types of referral systems face substantial challenges, particularly around resources. There was also wide variation of opinions and acceptability of universal referral among providers. The adoption of standardized or tiered referral criteria, guided by disease risk, prognosis, or symptom burden, may represent a practical middle ground. Future work should evaluate the impact of such criteria-based referral models on patient and family outcomes, provider experiences, and healthcare resource use.