ArticlePloS one2026
Optimising delivery of integrated palliative care and heart failure services: A realist evaluation protocol (PalliatHeartSynthesis II).
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
14 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundInequality in palliative care provision is an ongoing problem for underserved groups, such as those with heart failure (HF) placing a burden on patients, their caregivers and health services due to frequent, often avoidable hospitalisations. Our realist synthesis of integrated palliative care (PC) and HF literature found that integrated HF and PC services work best when service providers are motivated and have the opportunity and capacity to support behaviour change. However, we identified significant knowledge gaps with most studies completed in United States of America (USA) and based primarily on the views of nurses and physicians. We developed strategies to help services provide integrated PC and HF services but identified the need for United Kingdom (UK) primary data to better understand the context-specific implementation of palliative care and HF care.
methodsThis project will use co-design and realist evaluation to generate data from five PC and HF integrated services in the UK, purposively sampled to provide variation in geography and service design (Research Registry 10624). The research comprises three work packages (WPs). WP1 will deliver a realist evaluation of each site including documentary analysis, observations and semi-structured interviews with service providers and users. WP2 uses co-design methods to develop a guide to help others set up and improve integrated PC and HF services. Data from both WPs will be analysed and synthesised using a realist logic of analysis. WP3 will facilitate the development of a community of practice to support those who wish to set up, sustain and embed integrated PC and HF services. DISCUSSION: This realist evaluation of a complex intervention will improve understanding of how to tailor and implement integrated PC and HF services. The co-designed 'how-to guide' and community of practice will facilitate knowledge translation and ensure that evidence-based guidance is provided to assist in service development.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.