Table 4.

Results and relevance to practise

Programme component	Results	Relevance to practise
Early intervention	—Lower emergency department use —Fewer acute care stays —Symptom distress/disease understanding improved	Start palliative care as soon as it is apparent the patient needs such services
Education	—Increased learner knowledge —Increased learner competence or skill	Train palliative care team members, volunteers and students in palliative care topics; it may improve their knowledge, confidence and skills
Telehealth	—Using telehealth is feasible and acceptable —Increased patient access to services —Improved patient satisfaction	Use telehealth to potentially augment palliative care services, being mindful of facilitating access to such services by making technology training and electronic devices available
Standardised sessions	—Increased respecting patient’s life will —Increased home deaths —Lower hospital utilisation rates	Conduct interdisciplinary team meetings that are planned in advance and focus on patient-related concerns
Volunteers	—Positive experiences reported by volunteers, patient/caregivers and medical professionals	Engage and train volunteers to assist with palliative care to increase and enhance the provision of services
Innovative approaches (service provision)	—Overall, positive experiences were reported by patients/caregivers	Testing innovative approaches (e.g. music therapy) in community-based palliative care may lead to improvements in outcomes and patient and caregiver experiences
Innovative approaches (personnel roles)	—Overall, a lack of improvements	Establishing new types of personnel roles within community-based palliative care may not be the best use of resources until further research can determine the value of specific roles