Development of Patient-Centered End-of-Life Care Quality Measures in China: A Modified Delphi Process

Objective: Patient-centered care is widely recognized as a crucial component of high-quality end-of-life care. As this approach remains limited in China, this study sought to develop quality measures specifically tailored to end-of-life care within the country. Methods: Initial indicators were established through a comprehensive review of existing measures. Using the modified Delphi Method, a two-round survey with experts (n = 14) was applied to evaluate the importance of each item. Results: The authoritative coefficient of two rounds of expert consultation was 0.86 and 0.87, and the Kendall coefficient of concordance for the two rounds was 0.232 and 0.270 (P < 0.001), respectively, demonstrating an acceptable consensus among the experts. As a result, 31 key quality indicators were identified and deemed important. Conclusions: This study developed a scale for patient-centered end-of-life care quality measurement in China, consisting of six dimensions and 31 indicators. This scale lays a solid foundation for quality improvement initiatives and future development of patient-centered end-of-life care.