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Horton JR, Morrison RS, Capezuti E, Hill J, Lee EJ, Kelley AS. Impact of Inpatient Palliative Care on Treatment Intensity for Patients with Serious Illness. J Palliat Med 2016; 19:936-42. [PMID: 27248056 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2015.0240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Palliative care is associated with decreased treatment intensity and improved quality for individual patients at the end of life, but little is known about how hospital-wide outcomes are affected by the diffusion of palliative care principles. OBJECTIVE We examined the relationship between presence of palliative care programs and hospitals' average treatment intensity, as indicated by mean intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) and days under Medicare hospice coverage, in the last six months of life among Medicare beneficiaries aged 67 and over with serious chronic illness. METHODS We linked hospital-level data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, National Palliative Care Registry, and Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care to examine hospital-level treatment intensity for chronically ill Medicare beneficiaries who died in 2010. We used propensity score-adjusted linear regression to estimate the relationship between palliative care programs and hospitals' mean ICU LOS and hospice length of enrollment. RESULTS Among 974 hospitals meeting inclusion criteria, we compared 295 hospitals with palliative care programs to 679 hospitals without. Hospitals with palliative care programs were higher volume, more likely to be teaching hospitals, and have oncology services and less likely to be located in rural areas. In propensity score weighted analyses, the mean ICU LOS in hospitals with palliative care was shorter by 0.23 days (standard error [SE] = 0.26), but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.76). In addition, the mean length of hospice enrollment among beneficiaries served by hospitals with palliative care was longer by 0.22 days (SE = 0.61), but also was not statistically significant (p = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS Hospital-based palliative care programs alone may not be sufficient to impact ICU LOS or hospice length of enrollment for all chronically ill older adults admitted to hospitals. Future work should measure hospital-wide palliative care outcomes and effects of core palliative knowledge and skills provided by nonpalliative care specialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay R Horton
- 1 Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York, New York
| | - R Sean Morrison
- 1 Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York, New York
| | - Elizabeth Capezuti
- 2 City University of New York , Hunter College School of Nursing, New York, New York
| | | | - Eric J Lee
- 1 Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York, New York
| | - Amy S Kelley
- 1 Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York, New York
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Beck KR, Pantilat SZ, O'Riordan DL, Peters MG. Use of Palliative Care Consultation for Patients with End-Stage Liver Disease: Survey of Liver Transplant Service Providers. J Palliat Med 2016; 19:836-41. [PMID: 27092870 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2016.0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Palliative care services (PCS) are recommended to enhance quality of care for hospitalized patients. METHODS We evaluated the attitudes of liver transplant (LT) providers and perceived barriers to PCS for their patients by conducting a web-based survey of intensive care unit nurses, postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) physician trainees, nurse practitioners, fellows, and attending physicians on the LT service at an academic medical center. RESULTS The response rate was 44% (88/200). Providers agreed that LT and PCS are not mutually exclusive (86%, n = 76). Respondents reported confusion regarding criteria and timing for referral to PCS. Most suggested that referral is appropriate when death is imminent (78%, n = 69). Many providers felt that patients' depression (66%, n = 58) was poorly managed, although few identified that PCS were consulted for depression (28%, n = 25). Overall, 84% (n = 74) identified attending physicians as the main barrier to involving PCS, and attendings (93%, n = 82) were more likely than PGY1 (67%, n = 59) and nurses (55%, n = 48) to describe PCS as end-of-life care (p = 0.03). Nearly all LT providers agreed that patients welcomed goals of care discussions (83%, n = 73), were grateful for PCS (96%, n = 85), and received higher quality care with PCS (96%, n = 85). CONCLUSION LT providers overwhelmingly report that PCS benefit patients and are consistent with LT goals even while patients are listed for LT. Barriers to PCS include confusion over referral criteria and describing PCS as end-of-life care by attending physicians. PCS teams may expand access for LT patients by establishing clear criteria for PCS referral and targeting educational interventions about palliative care to attendings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall R Beck
- 1 Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco , San Francisco, California
| | - Steven Z Pantilat
- 2 Palliative Care Program, Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco , San Francisco, California
| | - David L O'Riordan
- 2 Palliative Care Program, Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco , San Francisco, California
| | - Marion G Peters
- 1 Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco , San Francisco, California
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Bainbridge D, Seow H, Sussman J. Common Components of Efficacious In-Home End-of-Life Care Programs: A Review of Systematic Reviews. J Am Geriatr Soc 2016; 64:632-9. [DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daryl Bainbridge
- Department of Oncology; McMaster University; Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Hsien Seow
- Department of Oncology; McMaster University; Hamilton Ontario Canada
- Escarpment Cancer Research Institute; Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Jonathan Sussman
- Department of Oncology; McMaster University; Hamilton Ontario Canada
- Escarpment Cancer Research Institute; Hamilton Ontario Canada
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Nathanson BH, McGee WT, Dietzen DL, Chen Q, Young J, Higgins TL. A State-Level Assessment of Hospital-Based Palliative Care and the Use of Life-Sustaining Therapies in the United States. J Palliat Med 2016; 19:421-7. [PMID: 26871522 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2015.0233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is unknown how the prevalence of hospitals with palliative care programs (PCPs) at the state level in the United States correlates with the treatment of critically ill patients. OBJECTIVE We examined the relationship between state-level PCP prevalence and commonly used treatments for critically ill patients as well as other public health metrics. METHODS We compiled state-level data for the year 2011 from multiple published sources. These included the poverty rate from the U.S. Census, public health measures such as the number of primary care physicians per 100,000 persons from America's Health Ranking website, and state-level rates for a series of validated ICD-9 (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision) procedure codes used for critically ill patients (e.g., prolonged acute mechanical ventilation [PAMV]) from the State Inpatient Databases (SID), Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. State-level percentages of PCPs came from a published report by the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). We used the Kruskal-Wallis test and Pearson's correlation coefficient for statistical inference. RESULTS State-level poverty rates were negatively correlated with the percent of hospitals with PCPs: r = -0.39, p = 0.005. States with more hospital-based PCPs had significantly lower rates of PAMV, tracheostomies, and hemodialysis but higher rates of nutritional support than states with fewer PCPs. CONCLUSIONS States with more poverty and/or at high risk for delivering inefficient health care had fewer hospital PCPs. Hospital-based PCPs may influence the frequency of some interventions for critically ill patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William T McGee
- 2 Department of Medicine, Division of Critical Care, Baystate Medical Center , Springfield, Massachusetts.,4 Tufts University School of Medicine , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Diane L Dietzen
- 3 Division of Geriatrics and Post Acute Medicine, Baystate Medical Center , Springfield, Massachusetts.,4 Tufts University School of Medicine , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Quenica Chen
- 5 SCMDP at Newell Rubbermaid , East Longmeadow, Massachusetts
| | - Jared Young
- 6 School of Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst , Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Thomas L Higgins
- 2 Department of Medicine, Division of Critical Care, Baystate Medical Center , Springfield, Massachusetts.,4 Tufts University School of Medicine , Boston, Massachusetts
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Wong A, Reddy A, Williams JL, Wu J, Liu D, Bruera E, Wong A, Reddy A, Williams JL, Wu J, Liu D, Bruera E. ReCAP: Attitudes, Beliefs, and Awareness of Graduate Medical Education Trainees Regarding Palliative Care at a Comprehensive Cancer Center. J Oncol Pract 2016; 12:149-50; e127-37. [PMID: 26787756 PMCID: PMC5702790 DOI: 10.1200/jop.2015.006619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Palliative care (PC) training and integration with oncology care remain suboptimal. Current attitudes and beliefs of the oncology trainees regarding PC are not fully known. This study was undertaken in an attempt to address this issue. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS We conducted a survey to determine awareness of PC among graduate medical trainees at a comprehensive cancer center with an established PC program. One hundred seventy oncology trainees who completed$9 months of training in medical, surgical, gynecologic, and radiation oncology fellowships and residency programs during the 2013 academic year completed an online questionnaire. Descriptive, univariable, and multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS The response rate was 78% (132 of 170 trainees); 10 trainees without hands-on patient care were excluded. Medical (53 of 60 [88%]), gynecologic (six of six [100%]), and radiation oncology (20 of 20 [100%]) trainees reported more awareness of PC compared with surgical oncology (22 of 36 [61%]) trainees (P = .001). One hundred twelve of 122 (92%) perceived PC as beneficial to patients and families. One hundred eight of 122 (89%) perceived that PC can reduce health care costs, 78 (64%) believed that PC can increase survival, and 90 (74%) would consult PC for a patient with newly diagnosed cancer with symptoms. Eighty-two trainees (67%) believed a mandatory PC rotation is important. Trainees with previous exposure to PC rotations were more aware of the role of PC services than were trainees without PC rotation (96% [46 of 48] v 74% [55 of 74]; P = .005, respectively). CONCLUSION Surgical trainees and trainees without previous PC rotation had significantly less awareness of PC. Overall, trainees perceived PC as beneficial to patients and capable of reducing costs while increasing survival; they also supported early PC referrals and endorsed a mandatory PC rotation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akhila Reddy
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | | | - Jimin Wu
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | - Diane Liu
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | | | - Angelique Wong
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Akhila Reddy
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | | | - Jimin Wu
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Diane Liu
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Eduardo Bruera
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
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Dumanovsky T, Augustin R, Rogers M, Lettang K, Meier DE, Morrison RS. The Growth of Palliative Care in U.S. Hospitals: A Status Report. J Palliat Med 2015; 19:8-15. [PMID: 26417923 PMCID: PMC4692111 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2015.0351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 288] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Palliative care is expanding rapidly in the United States. Objective: To examine variation in access to hospital palliative care. Methods: Data were obtained from the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Surveys™ for Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013, the National Palliative Care Registry™, the Dartmouth Atlas of Healthcare, the American Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), web searches, and telephone interviews of hospital administrators and program directors. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine predictors of hospital palliative care programs. Results: Sixty-seven percent of hospitals with 50 or more total facility beds reported a palliative care program. Institutional characteristics were strongly associated with the presence of a hospital palliative care program. Ninety percent of hospitals with 300 beds or more were found to have palliative care programs as compared to 56% of hospitals with fewer than 300 beds. Tax status was also a significant predictor. Not-for-profit hospitals and public hospitals were, respectively, 4.8 times and 7.1 times more likely to have a palliative care program as compared to for-profit hospitals. Palliative care penetration was highest in the New England (88% of hospitals), Pacific (77% of hospitals), and mid-Atlantic (77% of hospitals) states and lowest in the west south central (43% of hospitals) and east south central (42% of hospitals) states. Conclusions: This study demonstrates continued steady growth in the number of hospital palliative care programs in the United States, with almost universal access to services in large U.S. hospitals and academic medical centers. Nevertheless access to palliative care remains uneven and depends on accidents of geography and hospital ownership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Dumanovsky
- 1 Center to Advance Palliative Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York
| | - Rachel Augustin
- 1 Center to Advance Palliative Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York
| | - Maggie Rogers
- 1 Center to Advance Palliative Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York
| | - Katrina Lettang
- 1 Center to Advance Palliative Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York
| | - Diane E Meier
- 1 Center to Advance Palliative Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York.,2 Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute of the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York
| | - R Sean Morrison
- 2 Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute of the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York.,3 National Palliative Care Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York.,4 James J. Peters VA Medical Center , Bronx, New York
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES To provide an overview of the four major palliative care delivery models: ambulatory clinics, home-based programs, inpatient palliative care units, and inpatient consultation services. The advantages and disadvantages of each model and the generalist and specialist roles in palliative care will be discussed. DATA SOURCES Literature review. CONCLUSION The discipline of palliative care continues to experience growth in the number of programs and in types of delivery models. Ambulatory- and home-based models are the newest on the scene. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Nurses caring for oncology patients with life-limiting disease should be informed about these models for optimal impact on patient care outcomes. Oncology nurses should demonstrate generalist skills in the care of the seriously ill and access specialist palliative care providers as warranted by the patient's condition.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Although providing palliative care in the ICU has become a priority, the success of different methods to integrate palliative care into the ICU has varied. This review examines the current evidence supporting the different models of palliative care delivery and highlights areas for future study. RECENT FINDINGS The need for palliative care for ICU patients is substantial. A large percentage of patients meet criteria for palliative care consultation and there is frequent use of intensive care and other nonbeneficial care at the end of life. Overall, the consultative model of palliative care appears to have more of an impact on patient care. However, given the current workforce shortage of palliative care providers, a sustainable model of delivering palliative care requires both an effective integrative model, in which palliative care is delivered by ICU clinicians, and appropriate use of the consultative model, in which palliative care consultation is reserved for patients at highest risk of having unmet or long-term palliative care needs. SUMMARY Developing a mixed model of palliative care delivery is necessary to meet the palliative care needs of critically ill patients. Efforts focused on improving integrative models and appropriately targeting the use of palliative care consultants are needed.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Palliative care is an interprofessional specialty as well as an approach to care by all clinicians caring for patients with serious and complex illness. Unlike hospice, palliative care is based not on prognosis but on need and is an essential component of comprehensive care for critically ill patients from the time of ICU admission. In this clinically focused article, we review evidence of opportunities to improve palliative care for critically ill adults, summarize strategies for ICU palliative care improvement, and identify resources to support implementation. DATA SOURCES We searched the MEDLINE database from inception through January 2014. We also searched the Reference Library of The Improving Palliative Care in the ICU Project website sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Center to Advance Palliative Care, which is updated monthly. We hand-searched reference lists and author files. STUDY SELECTION Selected studies included all English-language articles concerning adult patients using the search terms 'intensive care' or 'critical care' with 'palliative care,' 'supportive care,' 'end-of-life care,' or 'ethics.' DATA EXTRACTION : After examination of peer-reviewed original scientific articles, consensus statements, guidelines, and reviews resulting from our literature search, we made final selections based on author consensus. DATA SYNTHESIS Existing evidence is organized to address: 1) opportunities to alleviate physical and emotional symptoms, improve communication, and provide support for patients and families; 2) models and specific interventions for improving ICU palliative care; 3) available resources for ICU palliative care improvement; and 4) ongoing challenges and targets for future research. Key domains of ICU palliative care have been defined and operationalized as measures of quality. There is increasing recognition that effective integration of palliative care during acute and chronic critical illness may help patients and families face challenges after discharge from intensive care. CONCLUSIONS Palliative care is increasingly accepted as an essential component of comprehensive care for critically ill patients, regardless of diagnosis or prognosis. A variety of strategies to improve ICU palliative care appear to be effective, and resources including technical assistance and tools are available to support improvement efforts. As the longer-term impact of intensive care on those surviving acute critical illness is increasingly documented, palliative care can help prepare and support patients and families for challenges after ICU discharge. Further research is needed to inform efforts to integrate palliative care with intensive care more effectively and efficiently in and after the ICU and to document improvement using valid and responsive outcome measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Aslakson
- 1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. 2The Palliative Care Program at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. 3Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 4Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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George BP, Kelly AG, Schneider EB, Holloway RG. Current practices in feeding tube placement for US acute ischemic stroke inpatients. Neurology 2014; 83:874-82. [PMID: 25098538 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000000764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We sought to identify current US hospital practices for feeding tube placement in ischemic stroke. METHODS In a retrospective observational study, we examined the frequency of feeding tube placement among hospitals in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample with ≥30 adult ischemic stroke admissions annually with length of stay greater than 3 days. We examined trends from 2004 to 2011 and predictors using data from more recent years (2008-2011). We used multilevel multivariable regression models accounting for a hospital random effect, adjusted for patient-level and hospital-level factors to predict feeding tube placement. RESULTS Feeding tube insertion rates did not change from 2004 to 2011 (8.1 vs 8.4 per 100 admissions; p trend = 0.11). Among 1,540 hospitals with 164,408 stroke hospitalizations from 2008 to 2011, a feeding tube was placed 8.8% of the time (n = 14,480). Variation in the rate of feeding tube placement was high, from 0% to 26% between hospitals (interquartile range 4.8%-11.2%). In the subset with available race/ethnicity data (n = 88,385), after controlling for patient demographics, socioeconomics, and comorbidities, hospital factors associated with feeding tube placement included stroke volume (odds ratio [OR] 1.28 highest vs lowest quartile; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-1.49), for-profit status (OR 1.13 vs nonprofit; 95% CI 1.01-1.25), and intubation use (OR 1.66 highest vs lowest quartile; 95% CI 1.47-1.87). In addition, hospitals with higher rates of black/Hispanic stroke admissions had increased risk of feeding tube placement (OR 1.28 highest vs lowest quartile; 95% CI 1.14-1.44). CONCLUSIONS Variation in feeding tube insertion rates across hospitals is large. Differences across hospitals may be partly explained by external factors beyond the patient-centered decision to insert a feeding tube.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P George
- From the Department of Neurology (A.G.K., R.G.H.), the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (B.P.G.), NY; and the Center for Surgical Trials and Outcomes Research, Department of Surgery (E.B.S.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Adam G Kelly
- From the Department of Neurology (A.G.K., R.G.H.), the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (B.P.G.), NY; and the Center for Surgical Trials and Outcomes Research, Department of Surgery (E.B.S.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Eric B Schneider
- From the Department of Neurology (A.G.K., R.G.H.), the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (B.P.G.), NY; and the Center for Surgical Trials and Outcomes Research, Department of Surgery (E.B.S.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Robert G Holloway
- From the Department of Neurology (A.G.K., R.G.H.), the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (B.P.G.), NY; and the Center for Surgical Trials and Outcomes Research, Department of Surgery (E.B.S.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
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Dy SM, Lee A, Lashoher A. End-of-Life Health Care Utilization in Hospitals with Compared to Those without Palliative Care Programs. J Palliat Med 2014; 17:877-8. [DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2014.0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sydney M. Dy
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alexandra Lee
- Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
| | - Angela Lashoher
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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Tatum PE, Craig KW, Washington KT, Oliver DP. Getting comfortable with death. Evolution of the care of the dying patient. MISSOURI MEDICINE 2014; 111:298-303. [PMID: 25211855 PMCID: PMC6179468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we provide an overview of the historical evolution and ongoing transformation of care for the dying patient. We examine the rise of hospice and palliative care and its eventual designation as a formal discipline and discuss growing recognition of the need for earlier palliative care for the seriously ill. Finally, we consider potential future challenges in the delivery of care to the dying patient as health care continues to change over time.
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May P, Normand C, Morrison RS. Economic impact of hospital inpatient palliative care consultation: review of current evidence and directions for future research. J Palliat Med 2014; 17:1054-63. [PMID: 24984168 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2013.0594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maintaining the recent expansion of palliative care access in the United States is a recognized public health concern. Economic evaluation is essential to validate current provision and assess the case for new programs. Previous economic reviews in palliative care reported on programs across settings and systems; none has examined specifically the hospital consultative model, the dominant model of provision in the United States. OBJECTIVES To review systematically the economic evidence on specialist palliative care consultation teams in the hospital setting, to appraise this evidence critically, and to identify areas for future research in this field. DATA SOURCES A meta-review ("a review of existing reviews") was conducted of eight published systematic reviews and one relevant nonsystematic review. To identify articles published outside of the timeframe of these reviews, systematic searches were performed on the PubMed, CINAHL, and EconLit databases. STUDY SELECTION Articles were included if they compared the costs and/or cost effectiveness of a specialist hospital inpatient palliative care consultation for adult patients with those of a comparator. RESULTS Ten studies were included and these demonstrate a clear pattern of cost-saving impact from inpatient consultation programs. Nevertheless, knowledge gaps still exist regarding the economic effects of these programs. Current evidence has been generated from the hospital perspective; health system costs, patient and caregiver costs, and health outcomes are typically not included. CONCLUSIONS Inpatient palliative care consultation programs have been shown to save hospitals money and to provide improved care to patients with serious illness. With a clear pattern of cost-saving using current methodology, it is timely to begin expanding the scope of economic evaluation in this field. Future research must address the measurement of both costs and outcomes to understand more fully the role that palliative care plays in enhancing value in health care. Relevant domains for such research are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter May
- 1 Centre for Health Policy and Management, Trinity College Dublin , Ireland
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Bailey FA, Williams BR, Woodby LL, Goode PS, Redden DT, Houston TK, Granstaff US, Johnson TM, Pennypacker LC, Haddock KS, Painter JM, Spencer JM, Hartney T, Burgio KL. Intervention to improve care at life's end in inpatient settings: the BEACON trial. J Gen Intern Med 2014; 29:836-43. [PMID: 24449032 PMCID: PMC4026508 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-013-2724-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Widespread implementation of palliative care treatment plans could reduce suffering in the last days of life by adopting best practices of traditionally home-based hospice care in inpatient settings. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-modal intervention strategy to improve processes of end-of-life care in inpatient settings. DESIGN Implementation trial with an intervention staggered across hospitals using a multiple-baseline, stepped wedge design. PARTICIPANTS Six Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs). INTERVENTION Staff training was targeted to all hospital providers and focused on identifying actively dying patients and implementing best practices from home-based hospice care, supported with an electronic order set and paper-based educational tools. MAIN MEASURES Several processes of care were identified as quality endpoints for end-of-life care (last 7 days) and abstracted from electronic medical records of veterans who died before or after intervention (n = 6,066). Primary endpoints were proportion with an order for opioid pain medication at time of death, do-not-resuscitate order, location of death, nasogastric tube, intravenous line infusing, and physical restraints. Secondary endpoints were administration of opioids, order/administration of antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and scopolamine (for death rattle); sublingual administration; advance directives; palliative care consultations; and pastoral care services. Generalized estimating equations were conducted adjusting for longitudinal trends. KEY RESULTS Significant intervention effects were observed for orders for opioid pain medication (OR: 1.39), antipsychotic medications (OR: 1.98), benzodiazepines (OR: 1.39), death rattle medications (OR: 2.77), sublingual administration (OR: 4.12), nasogastric tubes (OR: 0.71), and advance directives (OR: 1.47). Intervention effects were not significant for location of death, do-not-resuscitate orders, intravenous lines, or restraints. CONCLUSIONS This broadly targeted intervention strategy led to modest but statistically significant changes in several processes of care, indicating its potential for widespread dissemination to improve end-of-life care for thousands of patients who die each year in inpatient settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Amos Bailey
- />Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), 11G, 700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233 USA
- />University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - Beverly R. Williams
- />Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), 11G, 700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233 USA
- />University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - Lesa L. Woodby
- />Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), 11G, 700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233 USA
- />University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - Patricia S. Goode
- />Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), 11G, 700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233 USA
- />University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - David T. Redden
- />Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), 11G, 700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233 USA
- />University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - Thomas K. Houston
- />Department of Veterans Affairs, VA eHealth Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Bedford, MA USA
- />University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA USA
| | - U. Shanette Granstaff
- />Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), 11G, 700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233 USA
- />University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - Theodore M. Johnson
- />Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Decatur, GA USA
- />Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
| | | | - K. Sue Haddock
- />William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, SC USA
| | | | | | | | - Kathryn L. Burgio
- />Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), 11G, 700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233 USA
- />University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Aryeh Shander
- From the *Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Englewood Hospital & Medical Center, Englewood, New Jersey; †Departments of Anesthesiology, Medicine, and Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; ‡Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York; and §Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Kassa H, Murugan R, Zewdu F, Hailu M, Woldeyohannes D. Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice and associated factors towards palliative care among nurses working in selected hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. BMC Palliat Care 2014; 13:6. [PMID: 24593779 PMCID: PMC3975866 DOI: 10.1186/1472-684x-13-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2012] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To provide quality care at the end of life or for chronically sick patients, nurses must have good knowledge, attitude and practice about palliative care (PC). In Ethiopia PC is new and very little is known about the type of services offered and the readiness of nurses to provide PC. Methods A cross sectional quantitative study design was carried out using 341 nurses working in selected hospitals in Addis Ababa from January 2012 to May 2012. Systematic random sampling was the method employed to select two governmental and two non-governmental hospitals. The researchers used triangulation in their study method making use of: Frommelt’s Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD) Scale, Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing (PCQN) and practice questions. This led to enhanced validity of the data. EPI-INFO and SPSS software statistical packages were applied for data entry and analysis. Result Of the total 365 nurses selected, a response rate of 341 (94.2%) were registered. Out of the total study participants, 104 (30.5%) had good knowledge and 259 (76%) had favorable attitude towards PC. Medical and surgical wards as well as training on PC were positively associated with knowledge of nurses. Institution, individuals’ level of education, working in medical ward and the training they took part on PC were also significantly associated with the attitude the nurses had. Nurses working in Hayat Hospital (nongovernmental) had a 71.5% chance of having unfavorable attitude towards PC than those working in Black Lion Hospital (governmental). Regarding their knowledge aspect of practice, the majority of the respondents 260 (76.2%) had poor implementation, and nearly half of the respondents had reported that the diagnosis of patients was usually performed at the terminal stage. In line with this, spiritual and medical conditions were highly taken into consideration while dealing with terminally ill patients. Conclusion The nurses had poor knowledge and knowledge aspect of practice, but their attitude towards PC was favorable. Recommendations are that due attention should be given towards PC by the national health policy and needs to be incorporated in the national curriculum of nurse education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiwot Kassa
- Department of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
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68
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Walbert T. Integration of palliative care into the neuro-oncology practice: patterns in the United States. Neurooncol Pract 2014; 1:3-7. [PMID: 26034608 DOI: 10.1093/nop/npt004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Between 80%-85 percent of all adult brain tumors are high-grade gliomas (HGGs). Despite aggressive treatment with surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the survival of patients with HGG is limited. Brain tumor patients develop unique symptoms and needs throughout their disease trajectory, and the majority lose the ability to communicate during the end-of-life phase. Palliative care (PC) is a proactive and systematic approach to manage issues that are important to patients and families affected by serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life and symptom control and thereby reduce suffering. Most PC interventions take place during the end-of-life phase; however, newer data suggest that early PC interventions might improve symptom control and quality of life. METHODS A literature review focusing on PC, hospice care, and end-of-life care was performed with the aim to describe the integration of PC into neuro-oncology practice. RESULTS Recently there has been increased interest in the effects of PC and brain tumor patients. The origins, methodology, and conceptual models of delivering PC and how it might be applied to the field of neuro-oncology were reviewed. Patterns of referral and utilization in neuro-oncology are described based on the findings of a recent survey. CONCLUSIONS Despite a very high symptom burden, many HGG patients do not receive the same level of PC and have fewer interactions with PC services than other cancer populations. Early PC interventions and structured advance-care planning might improve symptom control and quality of life for brain tumor patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Walbert
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology , Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan
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Hua MS, Li G, Blinderman CD, Wunsch H. Estimates of the need for palliative care consultation across united states intensive care units using a trigger-based model. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2014; 189:428-36. [PMID: 24261961 PMCID: PMC3977718 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201307-1229oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Accepted: 11/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Use of triggers for palliative care consultation has been advocated in intensive care units (ICUs) to ensure appropriate specialist involvement for patients at high risk of unmet palliative care needs. The volume of patients meeting these triggers, and thus the potential workload for providers, is unknown. OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence of ICU admissions who met criteria for palliative care consultation using different sets of triggers. METHODS Retrospective cohort study of ICU admissions from Project IMPACT for 2001-2008. We assessed the prevalence of ICU admissions meeting one or more primary palliative care triggers, and prevalence meeting any of multiple sets of triggers. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Overall, 53,124 (13.8%) ICU admissions met one or more primary triggers for palliative care consultation. Variation in prevalence was minimal across different types of units (mean 13.3% in medical ICUs to 15.8% in trauma/burn ICUs; P = 0.41) and individual units (mean 13.8%, median 13.0%, interquartile range, 10.2-16.5%). A comprehensive model combining multiple sets of triggers identified a total of 75,923 (19.7%) ICU admissions requiring palliative care consultation; of them, 85.4% were captured by five triggers: (1) ICU admission after hospital stay greater than or equal to 10 days, (2) multisystem organ failure greater than or equal to three systems, (3) stage IV malignancy, (4) status post cardiac arrest, and (5) intracerebral hemorrhage requiring mechanical ventilation. CONCLUSIONS Approximately one in seven ICU admissions met triggers for palliative care consultation using a single set of triggers, with an upper estimate of one in five patients using multiple sets of triggers; these estimates were consistent across different types of ICUs and individual units. These results may inform staffing requirements for providers to ensure delivery of specialized palliative care to ICU patients nationally.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guohua Li
- Center for Health Policy and Outcomes in Anesthesia and Critical Care, Department of Anesthesiology, and
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Craig D. Blinderman
- Department of Anesthesiology
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; and
| | - Hannah Wunsch
- Department of Anesthesiology
- Center for Health Policy and Outcomes in Anesthesia and Critical Care, Department of Anesthesiology, and
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
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Fox K. The Role of the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in the Implementation of the Commission on Cancer's Standards on Palliative Care. Clin J Oncol Nurs 2014; 18 Suppl:39-44. [DOI: 10.1188/14.cjon.s1.39-44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Healthcare Utilization by Patients Whose Care is Managed by a Primary Palliative Care Clinic. J Hosp Palliat Nurs 2013; 15. [PMID: 24363610 DOI: 10.1097/njh.0b013e3182a02b9d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Parikh RB, Kirch RA, Smith TJ, Temel JS. Early specialty palliative care--translating data in oncology into practice. N Engl J Med 2013; 369:2347-51. [PMID: 24328469 PMCID: PMC3991113 DOI: 10.1056/nejmsb1305469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ravi B Parikh
- From Harvard Medical School (R.B.P.) and Massachusetts General Hospital (J.S.T.) - both in Boston; the American Cancer Society, Washington, DC (R.A.K.); and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (T.J.S.)
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Aziz NM, Grady PA, Curtis JR. Training and career development in palliative care and end-of-life research: opportunities for development in the U.S. J Pain Symptom Manage 2013; 46:938-46. [PMID: 23631858 PMCID: PMC3735668 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2012] [Revised: 01/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
There has been a dramatic increase in attention to the field of palliative care and end-of-life (PCEOL) research over the past 20 years. This increase is particularly notable in the development of palliative care clinical and educational programs. However, there remain important shortcomings in the evidence base to ensure access to and delivery of effective palliative care for patients with life-limiting illness and their families. Development of this evidence base will require that we train the next generation of researchers to focus on issues in PCEOL. The purpose of this article was to explore the current status of the recruitment, training, and retention of future investigators in PCEOL research in the U.S. and propose recommendations to move us forward. Some key contextual issues for developing and supporting this research workforce are articulated, along with timely and important research areas that will need to be addressed during research training and career development. We provide targeted key recommendations to facilitate the nurturing and support of the future research workforce that is needed to ensure the development and implementation of the science necessary for providing high-quality, evidence-based palliative care to all who need and desire it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noreen M Aziz
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Feudtner C, Womer J, Augustin R, Remke S, Wolfe J, Friebert S, Weissman D. Pediatric palliative care programs in children's hospitals: a cross-sectional national survey. Pediatrics 2013; 132:1063-70. [PMID: 24190689 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-1286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric palliative care (PPC) programs facilitate the provision of comprehensive care to seriously ill children. Over the past 10 years many such programs have been initiated by children's hospitals, but little is known about their number, staff composition, services offered, sources of support, or national distribution. METHODS In the summer of 2012, we surveyed 226 hospitals as identified by the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions. The survey instrument gathered data about whether their institution had a PPC program, and for hospitals with programs, it asked for a wide range of information including staffing, patient age range, services provided, and financial support. RESULTS Of the 162 hospitals that provided data (71.7% response rate), 69% reported having a PPC program. The rate of new program creation peaked in 2008, with 12 new programs created that year, and 10 new programs in 2011. Most programs offer only inpatient services, and most only during the work week. The number of consults per year varied substantially across programs, and was positively associated with hospital bed size and number of funded staff members. PPC programs report a high level of dependence on hospital funding. CONCLUSIONS PPC programs are becoming common in children's hospitals throughout the United States yet with marked variation in how these programs are staffed, the level of funding for staff effort to provide PPC, and the number of consultations performed annually. Guidelines for PPC team composition, funding, and consultation standards may be warranted to ensure the highest quality of PPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Feudtner
- CHOP North, Room 1523, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th and Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 10194.
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Nelson JE, Curtis JR, Mulkerin C, Campbell M, Lustbader DR, Mosenthal AC, Puntillo K, Ray DE, Bassett R, Boss RD, Brasel KJ, Frontera JA, Hays RM, Weissman DE. Choosing and using screening criteria for palliative care consultation in the ICU: a report from the Improving Palliative Care in the ICU (IPAL-ICU) Advisory Board. Crit Care Med 2013; 41:2318-27. [PMID: 23939349 DOI: 10.1097/ccm.0b013e31828cf12c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review the use of screening criteria (also known as "triggers") as a mechanism for engaging palliative care consultants to assist with care of critically ill patients and their families in the ICU. DATA SOURCES We searched the MEDLINE database from inception to December 2012 for all English-language articles using the terms "trigger," "screen," "referral," "tool," "triage," "case-finding," "assessment," "checklist," "proactive," or "consultation," together with "intensive care" or "critical care" and "palliative care," "supportive care," "end-of-life care," or "ethics." We also hand-searched reference lists and author files and relevant tools on the Center to Advance Palliative Care website. STUDY SELECTION Two members (a physician and a nurse with expertise in clinical research, intensive care, and palliative care) of the interdisciplinary Improving Palliative Care in the ICU Project Advisory Board presented studies and tools to the full Board, which made final selections by consensus. DATA EXTRACTION We critically reviewed the existing data and tools to identify screening criteria for palliative care consultation, to describe methods for selecting, implementing, and evaluating such criteria, and to consider alternative strategies for increasing access of ICU patients and families to high-quality palliative care. DATA SYNTHESIS The Improving Palliative Care in the ICU Advisory Board used data and experience to address key questions relating to: existing screening criteria; optimal methods for selection, implementation, and evaluation of such criteria; and appropriateness of the screening approach for a particular ICU. CONCLUSIONS Use of specific criteria to prompt proactive referral for palliative care consultation seems to help reduce utilization of ICU resources without changing mortality, while increasing involvement of palliative care specialists for critically ill patients and families in need. Existing data and resources can be used in developing such criteria, which should be tailored for a specific ICU, implemented through an organized process involving key stakeholders, and evaluated by appropriate measures. In some settings, other strategies for increasing access to palliative care may be more appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith E Nelson
- 1Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY. 2Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. 3Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT. 4Center for Health Research, College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. 5Section of Palliative Care, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Manhasset, NY. 6Department of Surgery, New Jersey Medical School-University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ. 7Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA. 8Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA. 9Boise, Meridian, & Mountain States Tumor Institute, St. Luke's Hospital, Boise, ID. 10Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD. 11Departments of Surgery and Health Policy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. 12Cerebrovascular Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH. 13Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pediatrics and Bioethics & Humanities, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. 14Center to Advance Palliative Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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Greer JA, Jackson VA, Meier DE, Temel JS. Early integration of palliative care services with standard oncology care for patients with advanced cancer. CA Cancer J Clin 2013; 63:349-63. [PMID: 23856954 DOI: 10.3322/caac.21192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientific advances in novel cancer therapeutics have led to remarkable changes in oncology practice and longer lives for patients diagnosed with incurable malignancies. However, the myriad options for treatment have established a culture of cancer care that has not been matched with a similar availability of efficacious supportive care interventions aimed at relieving debilitating symptoms due to progressive disease and treatment side effects. Accumulating data show that the introduction of palliative care services at the time of diagnosis of advanced cancer leads to meaningful improvement in the experiences of patients and family caregivers by emphasizing symptom management, quality of life, and treatment planning. In this review article, the rationale and evidence base for this model of early palliative care services integrated into standard oncology care are presented. In addition, the implications and limitations of the existing data to 1) elucidate the mechanisms by which early palliative care benefits patients and families; 2) guide the dissemination and application of this model in outpatient settings; and 3) inform health care policy regarding the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective, and comprehensive cancer care are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Greer
- Assistant Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School, and Assistant in Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
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78
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Seow H, Bainbridge D, Bryant D. Palliative care programs for patients with breast cancer: the benefits of home-based care. BREAST CANCER MANAGEMENT 2013. [DOI: 10.2217/bmt.13.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Improving breast cancer care means enhancing end-of-life care with specialized palliative care services. Palliative care embodies a holistic approach to care that focuses on symptom management of individuals with incurable diseases, whereas end-of-life care specifically focuses on a period of time, such as the last 6 months of life, where a rapid state of decline is often evident. The purpose of this article is to explore the benefits and limitations of end-of-life care provided in the hospital and community settings, with an emphasis on the benefits of home-based care. A key strength of home-based palliative care is the ability to expand the reach of palliative care to more cancer patients beyond residential hospice or hospital settings, which are limited in bed availability. The essential features of quality end-of-life services, regardless of setting, are care that offers seamless transitions, around-the-clock access to the same providers and an interdisciplinary, whole-person approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsien Seow
- Escarpment Cancer Research Institute, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Daryl Bainbridge
- Department of Oncology, McMaster University, 699 Concession St, 4th Floor, Room 4-229, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada
| | - Deanna Bryant
- Department of Oncology, McMaster University, 699 Concession St, 4th Floor, Room 4-229, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada
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Strand JJ, Kamdar MM, Carey EC. Top 10 things palliative care clinicians wished everyone knew about palliative care. Mayo Clin Proc 2013; 88:859-65. [PMID: 23910412 DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Revised: 05/20/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
With a focus on improving quality of life for patients, palliative care is a rapidly growing medical subspecialty focusing on the care of patients with serious illness. Basic symptom management, discussions of prognostic understanding, and eliciting treatment goals are essential pieces in the practice of nearly all physicians. Nonetheless, many complex patients with a serious, life-threatening illness benefit from consultation with palliative care specialists, who are trained and experienced in complex symptom management and challenging communication interactions, including medical decision making and aligning goals of care. This article discusses the changing role of modern palliative care, addresses common misconceptions, and presents an argument for early integration of palliative care in the treatment of patients dealing with serious illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob J Strand
- Department of Internal Medicine, Palliative Care Section, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To summarize the current United States healthcare system and describe current models of palliative care delivery. RECENT FINDINGS Palliative care services in the USA have been heavily influenced by the public-private fee-for-service reimbursement system. Hospice provides care for 46% of adults at the end-of-life under the Medicare hospice benefit. Palliative care teams in hospitals have rapidly expanded to provide care for seriously ill patients irrespective of prognosis. To date, over two-thirds of all hospitals and over 85% of mid to large size hospitals report a palliative care team. With the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, healthcare reform provides an opportunity for new models of care. SUMMARY Palliative care services are well established within hospitals and hospice. Future work is needed to develop quality metrics, create care models that provide services in the community, and increase the palliative care workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Sean Morrison
- Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
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Grudzen CR, Richardson LD, Major-Monfried H, Kandarian B, Ortiz JM, Morrison RS. Hospital Administrators' Views on Barriers and Opportunities to Delivering Palliative Care in the Emergency Department. Ann Emerg Med 2013; 61:654-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2012.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2012] [Revised: 05/30/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hwang SJ, Chang HT, Hwang IH, Wu CY, Yang WH, Li CP. Hospice offers more palliative care but costs less than usual care for terminal geriatric hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a nationwide study. J Palliat Med 2013; 16:780-5. [PMID: 23790184 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2012.0482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospice care is important for patients with terminal hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in endemic areas of viral hepatitis. Differences between hospice care and usual care for geriatric HCC inpatients have not yet been explored in a nationwide survey. OBJECTIVE The study's purpose was to analyze differences between hospice care and usual care for geriatric HCC inpatients in a nationwide survey. METHODS This nationwide, population-based study used data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database. Patients with terminal HCC who were ≥65 years old and received their end-of-life care in the hospital between January 2001 and December 2004 were recruited. The comparison group was selected by propensity score matching from patients receiving usual care in acute wards. RESULTS We enrolled 729 terminal HCC patients receiving inpatient hospice care and 729 matched controls selected from 2482 HCC patients receiving usual care. Hospice care patients were treated mainly by family medicine doctors (36%) and oncologists (26%), while usual care patients were treated mainly by gastroenterologists (60.2%). The natural opium alkaloids were used more in the hospice care group than in the usual care group (72.7% versus 25.5%, P<0.001), whereas the length of stay (8±7.7 days versus 14.1±14.3 days, P<0.001), aggressive procedures (all P<0.005), and medical expenses (all P<0.001) were significantly less in the hospice care group. CONCLUSION HCC patients in hospice wards received more narcotic palliative care, underwent fewer aggressive procedures, and incurred lower costs than those in acute wards. Hospice care should be promoted as a viable option for terminally ill, elderly HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinn-Jang Hwang
- Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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Whitford K, Shah ND, Moriarty J, Branda M, Thorsteinsdottir B. Impact of a palliative care consult service. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2013; 31:175-82. [PMID: 23552659 DOI: 10.1177/1049909113482746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Established hospital palliative care consult services (PCCS) have been associated with reduced costs and length of stay, decreased symptom burden, and increased satisfaction with care. Using a retrospective case-control design, we analyzed administrative data of patients seen by PCCS while hospitalized at the Rochester, Minnesota Mayo Clinic hospitals from 2003 to 2008. The PCCS patients were matched to 3:1. A total of 1477 patients seen by the PCCS were matched with 4431 patients not seen. Costs for patients seen and discharged alive were US $35,449 (95% confidence interval [CI] US $34,157-US $36,686) compared to US $37,447 (95% CI US $36,734-US $38,126), without PCCS consultation. Costs for PCCS patients that died during hospitalization were US $54,940 (95% CI US $51,483-US $58,576) and non-PCCS patients were US $79,660 (95% CI US $76,614-US $83,398).
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Enguidanos S, Vesper E, Lorenz K. 30-Day Readmissions among Seriously Ill Older Adults. J Palliat Med 2012; 15:1356-61. [DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2012.0259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Susan Enguidanos
- University of Southern California, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, California
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Laguna J, Enguídanos S, Siciliano M, Coulourides-Kogan A. Racial/ethnic minority access to end-of-life care: a conceptual framework. Home Health Care Serv Q 2012; 31:60-83. [PMID: 22424307 DOI: 10.1080/01621424.2011.641922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Minority underutilization of hospice care has been well-documented; however, explanations addressing disparities have failed to examine the scope of factors in operation. Drawing from previous health care access models, a framework is proposed in which access to end-of-life care results from an interaction between patient-level, system-level, and societal-level barriers with provider-level mediators. The proposed framework introduces an innovative mediating factor missing in previous models, provider personal characteristics, to better explain care access disparities. This article offers a synthesis of previous research and proposes a framework that is useful to researchers and clinicians working with minorities at end of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Laguna
- University of Southern California, Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, California 90089-0191, USA.
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Strand JJ, Billings JA. Integrating palliative care in the intensive care unit. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 10:180-7. [PMID: 22819446 DOI: 10.1016/j.suponc.2012.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2012] [Revised: 05/30/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The admission of cancer patients into intensive care units (ICUs) is on the rise. These patients are at high risk for physical and psychosocial suffering. Patients and their families often face difficult end-of-life decisions that highlight the importance of effective and empathetic communication. Palliative care teams are uniquely equipped to help care for cancer patients who are admitted to ICUs. When utilized in the ICU, palliative care has the potential to improve a patient's symptoms, enhance the communication between care teams and families, and improve family-centered decision making. Within the context of this article, we will discuss how palliative care can be integrated into the care of ICU patients and how to enhance family-centered communication; we will also highlight the care of ICU patients at the end of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob J Strand
- Palliative Care Service, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
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88
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Goldstein NE, Cohen LM, Arnold RM, Goy E, Arons S, Ganzini L. Prevalence of formal accusations of murder and euthanasia against physicians. J Palliat Med 2012; 15:334-9. [PMID: 22401355 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2011.0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about how often physicians are formally accused of hastening patient deaths while practicing palliative care. METHODS We conducted an Internet-based survey on a random 50% sample of physician-members of a national hospice and palliative medicine society. RESULTS The final sample consisted of 663 physicians (response rate 53%). Over half of the respondents had had at least one experience in the last 5 years in which a patient's family, another physician, or another health care professional had characterized palliative treatments as being euthanasia, murder, or killing. One in four stated that at least one friend or family member, or a patient had similarly characterized their treatments. Respondents rated palliative sedation and stopping artificial hydration/nutrition as treatments most likely to be misconstrued as euthanasia. Overall, 25 physicians (4%) had been formally investigated for hastening a patient's death when that had not been their intention-13 while using opiates for symptom relief and six for using medications while discontinuing mechanical ventilation. In eight (32%) cases, another member of the health care team had initiated the charges. At the time of the survey, none had been found guilty, but they reported experiencing substantial anger and worry. CONCLUSIONS Commonly used palliative care practices continue to be misconstrued as euthanasia or murder, despite this not being the intention of the treating physician. Further efforts are needed to explain to the health care community and the public that treatments often used to relieve patient suffering at the end of life are ethical and legal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan E Goldstein
- Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
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89
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Sacco J, Carr DRD, Viola D. The Effects of the Palliative Medicine Consultation on the DNR Status of African Americans in a Safety-Net Hospital. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2012; 30:363-9. [DOI: 10.1177/1049909112450941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To examine the effectiveness of palliative medicine consultation on completion of advance directives/do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders by racial/ethnic minorities. Method: A sample of 1999 seriously ill African American and Hispanic inpatients was obtained from the Palliative Medicine Consultation database (n = 2972). Associations between race/ethnicity and diagnosis and documentation of DNR status on admission and discharge were examined. Results: Cancer was the primary diagnosis, 34.5%. Among patients with a consultation, 98% agreed to discuss advance directives; 65% of African Americans and 70% of Hispanics elected DNR status. Inpatient deaths were 46%; 74% of decedents agreed to DNR orders. Discharged patients referred to hospice were 29%. Conclusion: Palliative medicine consultations resulted in timely completion of DNR orders and were positively associated with DNR election and hospice enrollment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Sacco
- Palliative Medicine Consultation Service/Hospice Inpatient Unit, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Dana R. Deravin Carr
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Health Sciences and Practice, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Deborah Viola
- Center for Long Term Care Research & Policy, School of Health Sciences and Practice, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
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90
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Flannelly KJ, Emanuel LL, Handzo GF, Galek K, Silton NR, Carlson M. A national study of chaplaincy services and end-of-life outcomes. BMC Palliat Care 2012; 11:10. [PMID: 22747692 PMCID: PMC3412750 DOI: 10.1186/1472-684x-11-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2012] [Accepted: 07/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medicine has long acknowledged the role of chaplains in healthcare, but there is little research on the relationship between chaplaincy care and health outcomes. The present study examines the association between chaplaincy services and end-of-life care service choices. METHODS HealthCare Chaplaincy purchased the AHA survey database from the American Hospital Association. The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care database was provided to HealthCare Chaplaincy by The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, with the permission of Dartmouth Atlas Co-Principal Investigator Elliot S. Fisher, M.D., M.P.H. The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care is available interactively on-line at http://www.dartmouthatlas.org/. Patient data are aggregated at the hospital level in the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care. IRB approval was not sought for the project because the data are available to the public through one means or another, and neither database contains data about individual patients, i.e. all the variables are measures of hospital characteristics. We combined and analyzed data from the American Hospital Association's Annual Survey and outcome data from The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care in a cross-sectional study of 3,585 hospitals. Two outcomes were examined: the percent of patients who (1) died in the hospital, and (2) were enrolled in hospice. Ordinary least squares regression was used to measure the association between the provision of chaplaincy services and each of the outcomes, controlling for six factors associated with hospital death rates. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The analyses found significantly lower rates of hospital deaths (β = .04, p < .05) and higher rates of hospice enrollment (β = .06, p < .001) for patients cared for in hospitals that provided chaplaincy services compared to hospitals that did not. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that chaplaincy services may play a role in increasing hospice enrollment. This may be attributable to chaplains' assistance to patients and families in making decisions about care at the end-of-life, perhaps by aligning their values and wishes with actual treatment plans. Additional research is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Flannelly
- Buehler Center on Aging, Health & Society, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 750 N, Lake Shore Drive, Suite 601, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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91
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92
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Gatrell AC, Wood DJ. Variation in geographic access to specialist inpatient hospices in England and Wales. Health Place 2012; 18:832-40. [PMID: 22522100 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2011] [Revised: 03/16/2012] [Accepted: 03/26/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
We seek to map and describe variation in geographic access to the set of 189 specialist adult inpatient hospices in England and Wales. Using almost 35,000 small Census areas (Local Super Output Areas: LSOAs) as our units of analysis, the locations of hospices, and estimated drive times from LSOAs to hospices we construct an accessibility 'score' for each LSOA, for England and Wales as a whole. Data on cancer mortality are used as a proxy for the 'demand' for hospice care and we then identify that subset of small areas in which accessibility (service supply) is relatively poor yet the potential 'demand' for hospice services is above average. That subset is then filtered according to the deprivation score for each LSOA, in order to identify those LSOAs which are also above average in terms of deprivation. While urban areas are relatively well served, large parts of England and Wales have poor access to hospices, and there is a risk that the needs of those living in relatively deprived areas may be unmet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C Gatrell
- Faculty of Health & Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YD, UK.
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93
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Providing a "good death" for oncology patients during the final hours of life in the intensive care unit. AACN Adv Crit Care 2012; 22:379-96. [PMID: 22064586 DOI: 10.1097/nci.0b013e31823100dc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is a leading cause of death in the United States. Aggressiveness of cancer care continues to rise in parallel with scientific discoveries in the treatment of a variety of malignancies. As a result, patients with cancer often require care in intensive care units (ICUs). Although growth in hospice and palliative care programs has occurred nationwide, access to these programs varies by geographic region and hospital type. Thus, critical care nurses may be caring for patients with cancer during the final hours of life in the ICU without the support of palliative care experts. This article provides an overview of the meaning of the final hours of life for cancer patients and uses principles of a "good death" and the tenets of hospice care to organize recommendations for critical care nurses for providing high quality end-of-life care to patients with cancer in the ICU.
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94
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Gay EB, Weiss SP, Nelson JE. Integrating palliative care with intensive care for critically ill patients with lung cancer. Ann Intensive Care 2012; 2:3. [PMID: 22339793 PMCID: PMC3306209 DOI: 10.1186/2110-5820-2-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Accepted: 02/16/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
With newer information indicating more favorable outcomes of intensive care therapy for lung cancer patients, intensivists increasingly are willing to initiate an aggressive trial of this therapy. Concerns remain, however, that the experience of the intensive care unit for patients with lung cancer and their families often may be distressing. Regardless of prognosis, all patients with critical illness should receive high-quality palliative care, including symptom control, communication about appropriate care goals, and support for both patient and family throughout the illness trajectory. In this article, we suggest strategies for integrating palliative care with intensive care for critically ill lung cancer patients. We address assessment and management of symptoms, knowledge and skill needed for effective communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration for patient and family support. We review the role of expert consultants in providing palliative care in the intensive care unit, while highlighting the responsibility of all critical care clinicians to address basic palliative care needs of patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B Gay
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia Health Systems, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Stefanie P Weiss
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Judith E Nelson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
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95
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Casey C, Chen LM, Rabow MW. Symptom management in gynecologic malignancies. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2012; 11:1077-89. [PMID: 21806331 DOI: 10.1586/era.11.83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Patients with gynecologic cancer experience significant symptom burden throughout their disease course and treatment, which negatively impacts their quality of life. The most common symptoms in gynecologic cancer include pain, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Palliative care, including symptom management, focuses on the prevention and relief of suffering and improvement in quality of life, irrespective of prognosis. In a comprehensive cancer care model, palliative care, including symptom management, is offered concurrently with anticancer therapies throughout the disease course, not just at the end of life and not only once curative attempts have been abandoned. Good symptom management begins with routine symptom assessment and use of a standardized screening tool can help identify patients with high symptom burden. Literature regarding epidemiology, assessment and management of pain, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, lymphedema, ascites, depression, anxiety and sexual dysfunction in gynecologic oncology patients will be reviewed in this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Casey
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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96
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Hardy D, Chan W, Liu CC, Cormier JN, Xia R, Bruera E, Du XL. Racial disparities in length of stay in hospice care by tumor stage in a large elderly cohort with non-small cell lung cancer. Palliat Med 2012; 26:61-71. [PMID: 21606129 DOI: 10.1177/0269216311407693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study examined whether there are racial disparities for length of stay in hospice for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).We studied 53,626 deceased patients aged ≥66 years diagnosed with American Joint Committee on Cancer stages I-IV NSCLC identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data who used hospice services in the last six months before death, and died between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2005. Median time (days) and percent length of stay in hospice, and multivariate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using zero-truncated negative binomial regression described relationships. In 2000-2005, most patients (64.1%) had <30 days, including those (30.2%) with <7 days length of stay in hospice care. After adjusting for confounders, the IRR for length of stay in hospice compared to whites was 38% increased for blacks (IRR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.01-1.89), and almost three-fold increased for Hispanics (IRR = 2.91;95% CI: 1.15-7.37) at stages I-II. However, blacks at stages III-IV had slightly decreased use of hospice services (IRR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.85-0.97). Length of stay decreased slightly among blacks diagnosed with late stage (III-IV) NSCLC in 2000-2005.The gap in disparity for length of stay in hospice has narrowed for ethnic minorities compared to whites, while some ethnic minorities had greater length of stay at early disease stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale Hardy
- Department of Family Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77098, USA.
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97
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Pantilat SZ, Kerr KM, Billings JA, Bruno KA, O'Riordan DL. Palliative care services in California hospitals: program prevalence and hospital characteristics. J Pain Symptom Manage 2012; 43:39-46. [PMID: 21802898 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2011.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2010] [Revised: 03/14/2011] [Accepted: 03/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT In 2000, 17% of California hospitals offered palliative care (PC) services. Since then, hospital-based PC programs have become increasingly common, and preferred practices for these services have been proposed by expert consensus. OBJECTIVES We sought to examine the prevalence of PC programs in California, their structure, and the hospital characteristics associated with having a program. METHODS A total of 351 acute care hospitals in California completed a survey that determined the presence of and described the structure of PC services. Logistic regression identified hospital characteristics associated with having a PC program. RESULTS A total of 324 hospitals (92%) responded, of which 44% (n=141) reported having a PC program. Hospitals most likely to have PC programs were large nonprofit facilities that belonged to a health system, had teaching programs, and had participated in a training program designed to promote development of PC services. Investor-owned sites (odds ratio [OR]=0.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.03, 0.2) and city/county facilities (OR=0.06; 95% CI=0.01, 0.3) were less likely to have a PC program. The most common type of PC service was an inpatient consultation service (88%), staffed by a physician (87%), social worker (81%), chaplain (76%), and registered nurse (74%). Most programs (71%, n=86) received funding from the hospital and were expected to meet goals set by the hospital or health system. CONCLUSION Although the number of hospital-based PC services in California has doubled since 2000, more than half of the acute care hospitals still do not provide PC services. Developing initiatives that target small, public, and investor-owned hospitals may lead to wider availability of PC services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Z Pantilat
- Palliative Care Program, Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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Abstract
Palliative care is a medical specialty that aims to improve the quality of life for patients with chronic and advanced serious illness and their families. It is appropriate throughout all stages of the trajectory of illness, which distinguishes it from hospice care. Hospice care is limited to patients with terminal prognoses. Palliative care practitioners provide expert symptom management, psychosocial support, and assistance with provider-patient communication and complex decision-making, as well as help with transitions of care. Palliative care has been associated with improved outcomes for patients and families and has experienced a rapid expansion in available services. Despite this, palliative care consultation continues to be underutilized. As the number of patients living with complex and serious illness burden continues to increase, palliative care specialists will play an important role in providing timely access to critical supportive services and the provision of high-quality care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Litrivis
- Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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100
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Symptom burden, survival and palliative care in advanced soft tissue sarcoma. Sarcoma 2011; 2011:325189. [PMID: 22190862 PMCID: PMC3236373 DOI: 10.1155/2011/325189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2011] [Revised: 08/16/2011] [Accepted: 08/31/2011] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction. The symptom burden and role of palliative care (PC) in patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) are not well defined. Methods. This study retrospectively reviewed both symptoms and PC involvement in patients known to an STS referral centre who died in one calendar year. Results. 81 patients met inclusion criteria of which 27% had locally advanced disease and 73% metastases at initial referral. The median number of symptoms was slowly progressive ranging from 2 (range 0-5) before first-line chemotherapy (n = 50) to 3 (range 1-6) at the time of best supportive care (BSC) decision (n = 48). Pain and dyspnoea were the commonest symptoms. Median overall survival from BSC decision was 3.4 weeks. 88% had PC involvement (either hospital, community, or both) with median time from first PC referral to death of 16 (range 0-110) weeks. Conclusions. Patients with metastatic STS have a significant symptom burden which justifies early PC referral. Pain, including neuropathic pain, is a significant problem. Dyspnoea is common, progressive and appears to be undertreated. Time from BSC decision to death is short, and prospective studies are required to determine whether this is due to overtreatment or very rapid terminal disease progression.
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