The Palliakid palliative care project is a European initiative aimed at providing access to palliative care for children facing advanced, complex, or end-of-life illnesses, with the goal of improving their well-being and quality of life. IDIAP Jordi Gol i Gurina is part of the consortium consisting of 17 partners from 12 European countries that will carry out the program. IDIAPJGol’s role will be to contribute foundational knowledge from primary care. Researchers from IDIAP Jordi Gol have developed the HEXCOM tool to assess the complexity of palliative care in adults, and adapting this tool to the pediatric environment is one of the working lines of this European project.
It is estimated that around 21 million children worldwide need palliative care, and over 8 million children require specialized care during their illness and at the end of life. In Europe, approximately 170,000 children in need of palliative care die each year without access to it.
Palliakid aims to improve the early identification of patients with complex palliative care needs by creating predictive models. These models will differentiate patients based on their level of complexity, enabling prompt, comprehensive, and planned assistance. The project will strengthen the involvement of patients and their families, intending to develop instruments for a more precise assessment of needs and expectations, facilitating interaction and involvement with the entire healthcare team. The project will focus on advance care planning, encouraging interaction between children, families, and healthcare teams throughout the course of the illness. Additionally, a digital assistance tool, known as the ‘Patient Journey’ platform, will be developed to enhance patient involvement and facilitate joint decision-making.
To mark the start of the Palliakid project, the Sant Joan de Déu hospital is hosting a two-day event with nearly 50 experts from across Europe. During these days, the 17 partners will present the project objectives and establish the foundations for this new collaboration.
