A 'seminal' research study shows most terminally-ill patients dislike the use of questionnaires and would prefer an informal chat.

This finding goes against the trend towards assuring quality healthcare outcomes via standardised assessment tools.

Lead researcher Dr Pam McGrath, from Central Queensland University, said interviews with hospice patients and their family members indicated that questionnaires should not automatically be accepted as best practice for palliative care settings as they "were seen to block the compassionate process".

She said questionnaires still had a place to give the healthcare workers a mental checklist reminder of information that needed to be gathered. But the information itself was best gathered through a friendly talk.

"There are indications that the move towards the use of standardised tools is a bureaucratic imperative that undermines the reformist ideology of hospice and palliative care," Dr McGrath said.

"Hospice workers increasingly use the questionnaires because the hospice clients generously collude with the practice even if they find the experience distressing.

"Questionnaires set the agenda for information gathering, rather than providing a tool for active listening to the individual story of each person. They were described as overwhelming in the number of questions asked ... they forced individuals to deal with issues too quickly.".

The research project was a collaborative initiative of CQU and the Cittamani Hospice Service of Palmwoods in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. ENDS.

For details call Dr Pam McGrath via (07) 3374 1206 or Mobile 0415 489 660 or pam_mcgrath@bigpond.com