PPF7 A creative approach to introducing medical students to palliative care research whilst providing useful information for the hospice can the IPOS tool help to distinguish the needs of palliative patients with differing diseases?

Introduction Kent and Medway Medical School (KMMS) is a new medical school aiming to foster student research skills. The Individual Research Project provides students’ the opportunity to develop their skills with partner organisations.

Pilgrims Hospice, a research-active unit, welcomed this collaboration but required a study design that aligned with project needs. The Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS) measures symptom burden, emotional spiritual needs, and priorities of patients and is well embedded at Pilgrims.

Objectives
Our aim was to use collected IPOS data to see whether scores can differentiate between the different disease groups needs and how well these are met. A secondary aim was to evaluate the suitability of such a project for future KMMS projects. To do this, data from patients with pancreatic cancer (PCa) and heart failure (HF) were compared.

Methods
Two retrospective mixed-method studies were conducted. IPOS data were analysed at referral and after six weeks for 214 patients with HF and 196 with PCa. In each group, 50 case records were reviewed qualitatively, examining patient-stated goals, open-text concerns, and documented interventions. Quantitative analysis included descriptive statistics and non-parametric sign tests to assess changes in symptoms over time.

Results
Both groups had a high symptom burden at referral, but profiles differed: HF patients were most affected by poor mobility, fatigue, and anxiety, while PCa patients reported pain and appetite loss. Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in pain but no change in psychological symptoms. Goal attainment was modest, with 26% in HF and 32% in PCa. Qualitative analysis highlighted shared themes of end-of-life wishes, anxiety, and prioritising comfort, but condition-specific priorities diverged (e.g., mobility vs. pain control).

Conclusion
IPOS effectively distinguishes disease-specific needs and outcomes. This project also enabled students to gain valuable experience in analysing both qualitative and quantitative data.