The contribution of hospitality services to person-centred care: A study of the palliative care service ecosystem

Abstract

This paper presents a new perspective on person-centred care, examining the role hospitality plays in palliative care. Despite a burgeoning, clinically derived and focused evidence-base, the constituent parts of person-centred care in this service ecosystem are not fully understood. An assessment of hospitality and healthcare literature concludes that the contribution of hospitality services to palliative care are seldom appreciated. Systematic stories (n = 239) collected from patients, families, and the bereaved accessed via five hospices, a hospital-based Palliative Care Unit, and a general hospital, geographically dispersed around the UK, are examined through the application of a storytelling tool designed to capture the transitional nature of service experiences. Hospitality services are found to play a profound role in care at this lifestage. They are integral to a person-centred care model which ascends through knowledge, emotions, amenities, social, and holistic steps over time. Research limitations and opportunities for future research are detailed.