• Katrien Drieskens, Johan Bilsen, Lieve Van Den Block, Reginald Deschepper, Sabien Bauwens, Wim Distelmans, and Luc Deliens.
• End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
• J Palliat Care. 2008 Jan 1; 24 (3): 162-6.

IntroductionUntil now, in Belgium at least, no scientific information has been available about which patients are referred to multidisciplinary palliative home care teams (MHCT) and by which caregivers, nor about timing of referral and factors associated with it.MethodsA prospective cohort study was carried out during a nine-month period in the oldest Flemish MHCT, and included all patients for whom a palliative care trajectory had been initiated.ResultsIn total, 325 patients (54% male, mean age 71 years, 83% cancer patients) were referred: 25% by their GP, 24% by hospital social workers, and 22% by the patient's family. Median timing of referral was 26 days (IQR 8-78) before death. Patients of 75 years or older were more likely to have been referred later by comparison with younger patients.DiscussionTimely referral to a MHCT seems to be difficult and not equal for all patients. Referral timing varies largely by age groups and diseases.

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