This study is part of the program on the establishment of Hospice and Palliative Care Services as a section in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at MMMH & MC. This is in line with the Department of Health’s recognition of the need to include palliative and hospice care in hospitals or health facilities and at the community-based level. The study aims to assess the perceived knowledge and skills in the provision of palliative care services among consultants of MMMH & MC affiliated with MMSU-COM and to identify gaps that hinder effective care delivery.

The study is grounded in the self-efficacy theory, emphasizing the crucial role of perceived competence in palliative and end-of-life care. It will evaluate six key domains of healthcare professionals by utilizing a validated 28-item survey. The survey will be distributed to 77 consultants of MMMH & MC who are
affiliated with MMSU-COM. The gathered data will be analyzed using SPSS version 27, focusing on frequency distributions, means, standard deviations, and percentages.

The outcomes of this study are expected to contribute significantly to the enhancement of palliative care services, filling the gap in the current healthcare system and ultimately ensuring a higher quality of life for patients and their families facing life-threatening illnesses.

The study holds significant value at various levels: clinical, institutional, educational, and health system. From a clinical perspective, assessing the perceived competencies of the MMMH & MC consultants affiliated with MMSU-COM and identifying barriers to effective care delivery will address the urgent need to enhance the quality of healthcare services and the competence of healthcare providers in providing palliative and hospice care. At the institutional level, the study’s outcomes will inform the establishment of a dedicated Hospice and Palliative Care Section within the Department of Family and Community Medicine at MMMH & MC. The integration of hospice and palliative care principles into medical training via the proposed capacity-building seminar-workshop for consultants will enhance their self-efficacy in palliative care and equip them to mentor future primary care physicians, who will operate within the framework of Universal Health Care. Lastly, the study will contribute to the long-term goal of establishing comprehensive hospice and palliative care services at MMMH & MC, complementing existing efforts at the Cancer Center and, ultimately, filling existing service delivery gaps and improving the quality of life for patients and families facing various health conditions.