[Availability and Integration of Palliative Medicine at Certified XXXX Centers].

@entity1 @entity2
UNASSIGNED: Background: It is the aim of the certification system for Organ Cancer Centers of the German Cancer Society to ensure that oncology @entity1 receive therapy meeting high quality standards. @entity2 @entity1 require comprehensive palliative care due to their high symptom load. The purpose of the present study was to identify the existing palliative care structures at 39 certified @entity2 centers. Methods: The survey tool used was an 18-question questionnaire sent by surface mail to the respective centers. Results: A total of 30 centers took part in the survey. A physician with the additional qualification 'palliative care' was employed at 21 of the centers, a certified palliative care nurse worked at 24 centers. A palliative care unit was available at 9 centers. The cited obstacles to the delivery of palliative care included a shortage of qualified palliative care staff, a lack of refinancing, and the concern that the suggestion of palliative care might cause negative emotions in the respective @entity1 . Conclusions: Certified @entity2 centers had a wide range of palliative care structures. Openness to and interest in extending existing palliative care services were most commonly identified. A number of serious obstacles in achieving this goal were nevertheless cited.
