The population of developed countries is aging, leading to an increase in the use of medication in daily practice, which can lead to serious treatment costs and irrational polypharmacy. A collaborative care approach, such as providing medication review service provided by a clinical pharmacist (CP), is a possible way to reduce drug-related problems and irrational polypharmacy. The aim of this study was to determinate whether a CP’s medication review service can improve the quality of drug prescribing in elderly patients treated with polypharmacy in primary care. In a retrospective observational medical chart review study, patients aged 65 years or more in the period 2012–2014 who received 10 or more medications concomitantly and who were screened by a CP were included. Data on pharmacotherapy and CPs’ interventions were obtained from the patients’ medical records (non-electronic chart review). Potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs) were determined with Lexicomp Online™ 3.0.2. Only potential X-type DDIs (pXDDIs) were included. Potentially inappropriate medications in the elderly (PIMs) were identified using the PRICUS list. Ninety-one patients were included. The CPs suggested 625 interventions, of which 304 (48.6%) were accepted by the general practitioners (GPs). After adopting the CPs’ interventions, the number of total medications decreased by 11.2% (p < 0.05) and the number of pXDDIs decreased by 42% (p < 0.05). The number of clinically important pXDDIs decreased by 50% (3 cases). The number of prescribed PIMs decreased by 20% (p = 0.069). The acceptance of CP’s recommendations reduced the number of pXDDIs (p < 0.05) and improved the adherence to heart failure treatment guidelines. A collaborative care approach offering a CP medication review service significantly improved the quality of pharmacotherapy by reducing the total number of medications and pXDDIs. The results support the implementation of this service in the Slovenian healthcare system.

Background: Interprofessional collaboration is an important part of palliative care. Effective communication and information exchange is essential for a high quality of care. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a new tool for exchanging information between professionals in palliative care on primary healthcare level. Methods: With suggestions from the experts regarding palliative care needs in an interprofessional team from the Delphi study and community nurses from the field, we developed a paper version of the tool. The paper version was tested in a pilot phase, and subsequently, we conducted ten semi-structured interviews with the users of the new tool to test its feasibility and usability. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, leading to improvement and development of the digital version of the new tool. Results: After completing the pilot phase of the research, we identified the following four categories: a systematic tool for more consistent treatment and better communication during the patient’s visit; training and empowerment; quality, safety and digitalization; these categories were later included in the final version of the digital communication tool. Conclusion: Effective palliative care requires a good exchange of information and communication between all care professionals who work with the patient. Effective communication contributes to making patients and their relatives feel safe in their home environment and allows patients to stay in their homes even as their disease progresses. The systematical new tool was assessed as useful to improve interdisciplinary cooperation and prepared in a digital version. Further research after the long-term use of the developed digital tool in everyday work might confirm its sustaining importance.

Person-centred care (PCC) is a fundamental principle in general practice, emphasising practices tailored to individual patient preferences, needs, and values. Despite the importance of PCC, general practitioners (GPs) face obstacles in effectively implementing it, with associated factors remaining unclear. The PACE GP/FP study aims to explore GPs' attitudes towards PCC and the factors facilitating or hindering its implementation in daily practice across European countries. This paper outlines the PACE GP/FP study protocol. The cross-sectional design with data collection via an online survey distribution to GPs in 24 European countries. Study instruments include two validated questionnaires (Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Patient Physician Orientation Scale (PPOS)) and additional items covering general information about the doctor and their practice, as well as facilitators and barriers to PCC. These additional items were specifically developed for the study, translated using the forward-backward method, evaluated through cognitive debriefing, and integrated into the REDCap platform to create language and country-specific survey links. The STROBE checklist guides the reporting of the manuscript. The PACE GP/FP study will provide a comprehensive exploration of GPs' attitudes towards PCC and the factors shaping its practice in Europe. The findings from the PACE GP/FP study will provide evidence for designing future implementation strategies and guide targeted interventions to promote PCC in primary care across Europe.

Providing intensive informal caregiving can cause caregivers’ overburden, possibly impacting successful ageing factors such as physical and mental health and social life. This article aimed to investigate how informal caregivers experience the impact of providing care for chronic respiratory patients on the process of caregiver ageing. A qualitative exploratory study was performed using semi-structured interviews. The sample comprised 15 informal caregivers who provided intensive care for patients with chronic respiratory failure for more than six months. They were recruited while accompanying the patients on their examination for chronic respiratory failure in Special Hospital for Pulmonary Disease in Zagreb between January 2020 and November 2020. Semi-structured interviews were used with informal caregivers, and interview transcripts were analysed by the inductive thematic analysis method. Similar codes were organised into categories, and categories were grouped into themes. Two themes were identified in the domain of physical health relating to informal caregiving activities and inadequate treatment of their difficulties, three themes were in the domain of mental health relating to satisfaction with the recipient of care and feelings, and two themes were in the domain of social life, relating to social isolation and social support. Informal caregivers of patients with chronic respiratory failure experience a negative impact on the factors that contribute to the successful ageing of informal caregivers. The results of our research suggest that caregivers need support in maintaining their own health and social inclusion.

Educating and raising awareness among lay members of the public about palliative care can significantly improve the care for terminally ill patients and their quality of life. This paper reports on the survey aimed at assessing the experience and expectations of participants in the Last Aid course launched in Slovenia in 2019 to train hospice volunteers and promote dialogue on death and dying. The course implementation was supported by materials prepared, translated, and/or adapted from German under the PO-LAST project, which linked Slovenian medical and healthcare professionals, hospice representatives, and university students. The Last Aid course follows an international four-module curriculum that has been successfully applied in 18 countries so far. In Slovenia, the course was delivered 30 times with 21 in-person deliveries and 9 online events attended by 450 participants of different sexes, ages, and professions. The surveyed population included 250 people who returned the evaluation questionnaires by October 2020. The aim of the analysis was to gain insight that can be applied broadly in future work and research on adult education on palliative care and the erasure of death-related taboos.

Background: Within palliative care, family meetings are recognised as the most effective practice for placing the patient and their family at the centre of care, thereby ensuring quality palliative care. The aim of this study was to determine how these meetings are conducted in primary healthcare and to identify the factors influencing them. Methods: Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with family physicians (FP) in Slovenia, who were expressly, and using the snowball method, invited to participate in the study. Transcripts were analysed using the principles of thematic analysis. Results: It was found that participating FPs frequently discuss diseases, treatment, expectations and goals with patients and families. However, these discussions are seldom structured and fully conducted according to family meeting guidelines, primarily due to time constraints. Barriers to conducting family meetings include patient and family reluctance, the staff’s lack of palliative care knowledge, time, and financial challenges. Positive factors include a good doctor-patient-family relationship, an exact diagnosis, the doctor’s experience and competence, additional palliative care training and the presence of other team members. Conclusion: Our research provides a unique insight into the implementation of family meetings at the primary level in Slovenia. FPs recognise numerous benefits of family meetings and consider them meaningful and time efficient. They emphasise that open discussions with the patient and their family are crucial for quality palliative care at the primary level. Considering simpler models of family meetings for the primary level appears sensible. Further research is needed to assess the cost-benefit relationship of family meetings.