How Do Doctors View Care for Kids with Blood Cell Transplants?

Pediatric doctors who specialize in blood cell transplants have mixed views on palliative care, or PC. This type of care focuses on easing symptoms and improving quality of life. It is well-known that PC helps patients who undergo hematopoietic cell transplants, or HCT. However, it is not widely used in pediatric HCT. A recent study tried to understand why this is the case. Researchers surveyed 98 doctors who care for kids with HCT. They found that most doctors trust PC specialists to take care of their patients. Yet, many doctors have concerns. For instance, 33% of doctors think PC specialists do not know enough about HCT to give good advice. Additionally, nearly half of the doctors see the term "PC" as a hurdle. They believe patients and their families might misunderstand what PC is and what it offers. The study also looked at what makes a doctor more or less likely to support PC. Doctors who practice a spiritual routine, have less than a decade of experience, and believe in the quality of PC tend to have a more favorable view of it. On the other hand, doctors who feel they should handle PC issues themselves or who have had more PC training are less likely to support PC specialists. These findings show that there are obstacles to teamwork between pediatric HCT doctors and PC specialists. One major issue is the worry about PC teams knowing enough about HCT. Another is how patients and their families might see PC. Most pediatric HCT doctors think PC can improve patient care. However, steps are needed to make teamwork between these doctors and PC specialists better. It is important to note that the study did not look at the views of patients and their families. Their perspectives could provide even more insight into how to improve PC in pediatric HCT. Also, the study did not ask about the specific types of training doctors had or wanted. This information could help create better training programs.