The Integrated Palliative Outcome Scale (IPOS): A tool for assessing needs and shaping individualized care plans in hospice settings
Erika Iacona, Michela Bondì, Lucia Ronconi, Michela Rigon, Alessia Casati, Ines Testoni · 2026
Read The Integrated Palliative Outcome Scale (IPOS): A tool for assessing needs and shaping individualized care plans in hospice settings by Erika Iacona, Michela Bondì, Lucia Ronconi, Michela Rigon, Alessia Casati, Ines Testoni (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13244350.txt.
Description
Erika Iacona and colleagues tested whether a structured outcome scale can surface what hospice patients need, person by person. Their mixed-method study appeared in Palliative and Supportive Care in 2026. Thirty-eight terminally ill patients at a northern Italian hospice completed the Integrated Palliative Outcome Scale, rating physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and practical concerns. Interviews alongside explored what being at peace with oneself means to the dying.
Constipation, mouth discomfort, weakness, and drowsiness topped the physical list, with anxiety and worry for family close behind. Patients who understood their prognosis better tended to know their diagnosis better too, and both kinds of awareness came with less anxiety and more peace. Across repeat ratings most symptoms held steady while anxiety and low mood crept up. Interviews showed peace is built from relationships, faith, and unfinished business, not symptom counts. The authors back the scale as a planning tool for care.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Erika Iacona, Michela Bondì, Lucia Ronconi, Michela Rigon, Alessia Casati, Ines Testoni |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 35 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |