Palliative CareNOVOPALNCT07505706
Patient Journey in Palliative Care Within the NOVO Hospital Group.
An observational study of Palliative Care and End of Life Care, run by Hôpital NOVO at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
This retrospective descriptive study aims to describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and organizational characteristics of patients identified as receiving palliative care who died in 2024 within the NOVO Hospital network. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Palliative Care, End of Life Care, Terminal Care
- How many people
- 286 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 5 Jan 2026to 31 Mar 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Patients who died between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, in the hospital or in their personal living space (home, nursing home...)
Who may be able to join
- Patients who died between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, in the hospital or in their personal living space (home, nursing home...)
- Having "palliative care" status in their medical record
- Receiving care at one of the six NOVO hospital sites (Pontoise, Magny-en-Vexin, Beaumont-sur-Oise, Marines, Saint-Martin-du-Tertre, Aincourt)
- Whether or not they were followed by a mobile palliative care team
Who cannot join
- None
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Descriptive and Analytical Study of Patients Who Died in 2024 While Receiving Palliative Care at NOVO Hospital: Patient Characteristics and Implications for General Practice?
This retrospective descriptive study aims to describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and organizational characteristics of patients identified as receiving palliative care who died in 2024 within the NOVO Hospital network.
Data from medical records will include patient characteristics, involvement of general practitioners, use of palliative care services, healthcare utilization, and conditions of death.
The study hypothesizes that improved characterization of these patients and their care trajectories will help identify opportunities for earlier palliative care referral and better coordination between hospital and community care.
Read the detailed description
Population aging and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and frailty have led to a growing demand for palliative care. End-of-life trajectories are frequently complex and involve multiple transitions between hospital care, home, and long-term care facilities. In many healthcare systems, a large proportion of healthcare expenditures in the last months of life is related to hospitalizations. A better understanding of the characteristics and care pathways of patients receiving palliative care is therefore essential to improve the organization and coordination of end-of-life care.
In France, general practitioners play a key role in the follow-up of patients and in coordinating care between hospital and community settings. However, the identification of palliative care needs and the timing of referral to specialized palliative care services remain heterogeneous. Improved knowledge of patient profiles and care trajectories may help identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration between hospital teams and primary care physicians.
This retrospective monocentric descriptive study will analyze patients identified as receiving palliative care who died in 2024 within the NOVO Hospital network. Data will be extracted from the medical record system and anonymized prior to analysis.
Collected variables will include sociodemographic characteristics, clinical information such as comorbidities, level of autonomy, and data related to the organization of care. Particular attention will be given to the involvement of general practitioners, the use of specialized palliative care teams, and access to home-based care services. The study will also examine healthcare utilization in the last months of life, including hospital admissions and emergency department visits, as well as end-of-life conditions such as the place of death, the presence of advance directives, and the use of continuous deep sedation.
By describing patient profiles and care trajectories, this study aims to identify potential factors associated with healthcare utilization and to highlight opportunities to improve early palliative care identification and coordination between hospital and community care.
- Conditions
- Palliative Care, End of Life Care, Terminal Care
- Keywords
- Palliative Care, End of Life Care, Primary Health Care, General Practitioners, Care Coordination, Place of Death, Advance Directives, Health Services Utilization, Retrospective Studies
- Medical subject headings
- Patient Acceptance of Health Care
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number and profiles of patients identified as receiving palliative care who died in 2024 within the NOVO Hospital network
Description of the sociodemographic, clinical, and organizational characteristics of patients identified as receiving palliative care, including age, sex, living situation, level of autonomy, primary disease, comorbidities, presence of advance directives, and existence of a documented care plan.
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Secondary outcomes (5)
Place of death and concordance with patient preferences
Assessment of the actual place of death (hospital, home, nursing home or other setting) and comparison with the place of death expressed in advance directives or documented care plans when available
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Involvement of general practitioners in palliative care management
Evaluation of the presence of a primary care physician and their involvement in the patient's palliative care pathway, including participation in care planning and coordination with hospital teams
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Healthcare utilization in the last months of life
Number of hospital admissions and emergency department visits during the last six months of life
Measured: At the end of the study, an average of 3 months
Timing of referral to palliative care
Time interval between the identification of a palliative situation and the first contact with palliative care services.
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Explore ways to improve the early identification of palliative care needs and ensure continuity of care between home and hospital
Time between the date of death and the start of palliative care
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Apr 2026
- Study start5 Jan 2026
- Primary completion31 Mar 2026
- Study completion31 Mar 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Palliative CareStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Enrolment
- 286 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hôpital NOVO
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Mathilde BRUN, Doctor, Principal investigator, NOVOThomas AKPAN, Doctor, Principal investigator, NOVO
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07505706
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CHRD1825
- Other IDs
- CHRD1825
- Acronym
- NOVOPAL
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 17 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Descriptive and Analytical Study of Patients Who Died in 2024 While Receiving Palliative Care at NOVO Hospital: Patient Characteristics and Implications for General Practice?
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07505706
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- NOVOPAL / CHRD1825
- Conditions
- Palliative Care, End of Life Care, Terminal Care
- Keywords
- Palliative Care, End of Life Care, Primary Health Care, General Practitioners, Care Coordination, Place of Death, Advance Directives, Health Services Utilization
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 286 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hôpital NOVOUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Mar 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 1 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This retrospective descriptive study aims to describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and organizational characteristics of patients identified as receiving palliative care who died in 2024 within the NOVO Hospital network.
Data from medical records will include patient characteristics, involvement of general practitioners, use of palliative care services, healthcare utilization, and conditions of death.
The study hypothesizes that improved characterization of these patients and their care trajectories will help identify opportunities for earlier palliative care referral and better coordination between hospital and community care.
Detailed description
Population aging and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and frailty have led to a growing demand for palliative care. End-of-life trajectories are frequently complex and involve multiple transitions between hospital care, home, and long-term care facilities. In many healthcare systems, a large proportion of healthcare expenditures in the last months of life is related to hospitalizations. A better understanding of the characteristics and care pathways of patients receiving palliative care is therefore essential to improve the organization and coordination of end-of-life care.
In France, general practitioners play a key role in the follow-up of patients and in coordinating care between hospital and community settings. However, the identification of palliative care needs and the timing of referral to specialized palliative care services remain heterogeneous. Improved knowledge of patient profiles and care trajectories may help identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration between hospital teams and primary care physicians.
This retrospective monocentric descriptive study will analyze patients identified as receiving palliative care who died in 2024 within the NOVO Hospital network. Data will be extracted from the medical record system and anonymized prior to analysis.
Collected variables will include sociodemographic characteristics, clinical information such as comorbidities, level of autonomy, and data related to the organization of care. Particular attention will be given to the involvement of general practitioners, the use of specialized palliative care teams, and access to home-based care services. The study will also examine healthcare utilization in the last months of life, including hospital admissions and emergency department visits, as well as end-of-life conditions such as the place of death, the presence of advance directives, and the use of continuous deep sedation.
By describing patient profiles and care trajectories, this study aims to identify potential factors associated with healthcare utilization and to highlight opportunities to improve early palliative care identification and coordination between hospital and community care.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Patients who died between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, in the hospital or in their personal living space (home, nursing home...)
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Patients who died between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, in the hospital or in their personal living space (home, nursing home...)
- Having "palliative care" status in their medical record
- Receiving care at one of the six NOVO hospital sites (Pontoise, Magny-en-Vexin, Beaumont-sur-Oise, Marines, Saint-Martin-du-Tertre, Aincourt)
- Whether or not they were followed by a mobile palliative care team
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Number and profiles of patients identified as receiving palliative care who died in 2024 within the NOVO Hospital network
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Description of the sociodemographic, clinical, and organizational characteristics of patients identified as receiving palliative care, including age, sex, living situation, level of autonomy, primary disease, comorbidities, presence of advance directives, and existence of a documented care plan.
5 secondary outcomes
Place of death and concordance with patient preferences
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Involvement of general practitioners in palliative care management
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Healthcare utilization in the last months of life
Time frame: At the end of the study, an average of 3 months
Timing of referral to palliative care
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Explore ways to improve the early identification of palliative care needs and ensure continuity of care between home and hospital
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 3 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Palliative Care
Not yet recruitingObservational study
IN-TALK: Co-producing a Hospice Intimacy Support Toolkit in England
Communication About Intimacy Needs in Hospice and Palliative Care
Not yet recruitingPhase 2
Psilocybin With Psychotherapy for Improving Chronic Pain in Cancer Patients Requiring Opioids
Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm, Malignant Solid Neoplasm
RecruitingPhase 1/2
Interstitial Photodynamic Therapy Following Palliative Radiotherapy in Treating Patients With Inoperable Malignant Central Airway Obstruction
Malignant Solid Neoplasm
Active, not recruiting
LiverPAL: A Trial of Inpatient Palliative Care for Patients With Advanced Liver Disease
Liver Disease Chronic, End Stage Liver DIsease
Not yet recruiting
Comparing Radiotherapy Dose Strategies for Symptom Relief in Large Solid Tumors
Solid Tumor
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Mathilde BRUN, Doctor principal investigator
NOVO
Thomas AKPAN, Doctor principal investigator
NOVO
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Palliative Care and End of Life Care, run by Hôpital NOVO at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number and profiles of patients identified as receiving palliative care who died in 2024 within the NOVO Hospital network (time frame: Through study completion, an average of 3 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Sep 2026.