Abstract
<Objectives> This study was undertaken to identify the essential points in planning the design of activity centers within hospitals through analysis of the current activities of the palliative care teams.
<Methods> The current activities of palliative care teams were investigated at 3 designated cancer care hospitals, and a survey by interview of the palliative care team members was conducted at 2 designated cancer care hospitals.
<Results> The interview-based survey revealed the composition of the palliative care teams, the details of the activities undertaken by the teams and the status of the activity center arrangement at 2 of the facilities. In the survey of the current activities of the palliative care teams, it was found that the major activities of the teams were interviews of individual patients, checking and documentation of medical records, and communication among staff members, and that these activities accounted for about half of the total activity time of the team at each of the 3 facilities. The major sites of activity of the teams were the wards, nurse stations and hospital corridors, and more than half of the total activity time was spent at these locations.
<Conclusion> Analysis of the current status as to the time, place and details of activities of the palliative care team activities revealed that adequate space and facility designs to facilitate the activities at wards (interviews), nurse stations and corridors would be desirable when designing environments supporting the activities of palliative care teams in general wards. The results of the survey also indicate that when activity centers are designed at designated cancer care hospitals, emphasis needs to be laid on (1) the assumption that palliative care will be provided at both the outpatient and inpatient departments and (2) facilitating smooth communication among team members and individual members with expertise.
