• Research blog
Tuesday, 15. July 2025

Using the P-CaRES Tool to Identify Palliative Care Needs in Patients with Life-Limiting Diseases : An Analysis of Internal Medicine Admissions

Recent Publication


Researchers at Krems University Hospital have tested an important tool that helps to identify seriously ill patients who require palliative care. The so-called P-CaRES tool was originally developed for emergency departments and has now been used on internal medicine wards in Krems. The study of over 2,500 patients revealed that almost three quarters of seriously ill patients would have needed palliative care, but only one in five actually received it. This gap in care was particularly evident in patients without cancer, while cancer patients were more likely to receive palliative support. The study also shows that patients with multiple serious illnesses or frequent hospitalizations have a significantly shorter life expectancy. The results were published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Fidelsberger, L., Fischer, C., Kreye, G., Meran, E., Likar, R., van Tulder, R., Stettner, H., Masel, E. K., Singer, J., & Le, N.-S. (2025). Using the P-CaRES Tool to Identify Palliative Care Needs in Patients with Life-Limiting Diseases: An Analysis of Internal Medicine Admissions. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(12), Article 4206. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14124206

Prim. Clin. Assoc. Prof. PD Dr. Josef Singer MBA PhD

Division of Internal Medicine 2 (University Hospital Krems)