Interactive collaborative consultation model in end-of-life care.

Abstract

With interactive communication becoming an engaging and accessible venue, the specialized field of end-of-life care could greatly benefit by utilizing the Internet to ensure comprehensive palliative care for many underserved areas worldwide. Interactive communication can enhance the care of patients with advanced disease and their families by providing practitioners with current research-based information to empower their clinical decision-making. A collaborative consultative Internet relationship can support practitioners in providing comprehensive palliative interventions for their patients in a timely manner. This paper describes the development of the interactive collaborative consultation model and its demonstration between a rural palliative care nurse practitioner and an urban medical research physician. Expert consultation for individual patients through the Internet can help improve access to palliative consultation and, ultimately, enhance the care of many dying persons living within underserved or remote areas worldwide.