GPs Access Palliative Care Support through Smartphone App

GPs providing older patients with palliative care now have access to specialist medical advice for in-home and residential care settings thanks to an app designed by Flinders University's Palliative Care Program.
The free app called PalliAGED (available on iOS, Android and Windows) is part of the Decision Assist Program and assists GPs in forming a framework of care from the development of an advance care plan, case conference, or through to a terminal care management plan. It app provides information and resources to support each of these and includes prescribing support for common symptoms experienced in the terminal phase.
“GPs who are called upon to treat elderly patients in a residential care or at home setting may have limited experience providing palliative care,” Assistant Director of Metro South Palliative Care Service Dr Greg Parker said.
“The app provides information that will help them manage and care for their patients in the final stages of their life,” he said.
The Decision Assist Program is funded by the Australian Government and being undertaken by a consortium of eight expert organisations: Austin Health, Aged and Community Care Australia (ACSA), (ANZSPM), Flinders University, LASA, Palliative Care Australia, University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology. Austin Health is the lead organisation.
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