Use of Health and Welfare Technology in Palliative Care: State-of-the-Art Review

Background: As more individuals live longer with complex conditions, the need for effective palliative care (PC) grows. It has been stated that access to PC should be integrated early and delivered in a timely manner to patients with life-threatening illnesses. Health and welfare technologies (HWTs) offer tools to enhance care delivery, particularly in home and rural settings. Although there is a profound lack of evidence regarding the impact when used in PC, it is necessary to critically assess the current state of knowledge regarding impacts and consequences of technologies, ensuring that their integration considers broader implications for patients, caregivers, and health care systems in PC. Objective: This review explores health and welfare technology used in PC, aiming to inform practice and improve care quality. Methods: This state-of-the-art review included empirical studies describing the use of HWT in PC for adult patients. We used a thematic synthesis approach to compare studies and provide a synthesis of the key points. Results: Based on the inclusion criteria, 94 studies were included. PC is both a clinical specialty and an overall approach to care that focuses on improving quality of life and relieving suffering for patients and families facing serious illness, based on needs and not prognosis. HWT shows potential to increase access and continuity of care, for symptom management to support patients to remain at home and prevent frequent emergency visits. It can have the potential to build and remain relationships between patients, their families, and the health care team, as well as for interprofessional collaboration and support. However, there are challenges to overcome that might affect the quality of care when using technology. Conclusions: HWT shows potential as a complement to usual PC. Our findings point toward the importance of caution in choosing when to use HWT in PC, and for which patients.