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Kaplan A, Ladin K, Junna S, Lindenberger E, Ufere NN. Serious Illness Communication in Cirrhosis Care: Tools to Improve Illness Understanding, Prognostic Understanding, and Care Planning. GASTRO HEP ADVANCES 2024; 3:634-645. [PMID: 38873184 PMCID: PMC11175167 DOI: 10.1016/j.gastha.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Patients with cirrhosis frequently experience an unpredictable illness trajectory, with frequent hospitalizations and complications. Along with the uncertain nature of the disease, the possibility of a lifesaving and curative transplant often makes prognostic discussions and future care decisions challenging. Serious illness communication (SIC) refers to supportive communication whereby clinicians assess patients' illness understanding, share prognostic information according to patients' preferences, explore patients' goals, and make recommendations for care that align with these goals. SIC includes 3 key components: (1) illness understanding; (2) prognostic understanding; and (3) care planning. In this piece, we explore current barriers to early implementation of SIC in cirrhosis care and share possible solutions, including adopting a multidisciplinary approach, delivering culturally competent care, and training clinicians in SIC core skills. By use of a case example, we aim to demonstrate SIC in action and to provide clinicians with tools and skills that can be used in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyson Kaplan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Department of Surgery, Transplant Institute, Tufts University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Keren Ladin
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shilpa Junna
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Elizabeth Lindenberger
- Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nneka N. Ufere
- Department of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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David HS, Rosell T, Hughes D. Moral Injury Among Transplant Providers: Evaluating the Effects of Training in End-of-Life Counseling. Kans J Med 2023; 16:324-327. [PMID: 38298384 PMCID: PMC10829853 DOI: 10.17161/kjm.vol16.21171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Ethical issues are pervasive in healthcare, but few specialties rival the moral complexity of transplant medicine. Transplant providers must regularly inform patients that they are no longer eligible to receive a potentially life-saving operation and the stress of these conversations poses a high risk of moral injury. Training in end-of-life counseling (EOLC) has proven to significantly reduce provider stress and burnout. The purpose of this study was to determine whether training in EOLC reduces levels of moral injury among transplant providers. Methods This was a mixed methods study. We interviewed 10 patient participants and administered a survey to staff in the solid organ transplant department at the University of Kansas Health System. Respondents indicated whether they had received training in EOLC and completed the standardized Moral Injury Symptom Scale-Healthcare Professionals version (MISS-HP). A two-sample, one-sided t-test compared levels of moral injury between trained and untrained staff. Subsequently, we conducted semi-structured interviews with transplant providers, then performed inductive coding followed by thematic network analysis. Results Thirty-seven percent (14/38) of respondents reported a moral injury score at or above the threshold for psychosocial dysfunction associated with moral injury. Analysis revealed no difference in moral injury scores between the trained and untrained groups (p = 0.362, power (1-β) = 0.842). Thematic network analysis demonstrated high-level themes of "challenges", "training", and "stress relief". Conclusions Our study demonstrated a concerning prevalence of moral injury among transplant staff and suggested that EOLC training did not significantly mitigate the threat of moral injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah S David
- University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS
| | - Tarris Rosell
- University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS
- Department of History and Philosophy of Medicine
| | - Dorothy Hughes
- University of Kansas School of Medicine-Salina, Salina, KS
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Kearney A, Tiwari N, Cullen O, Legg A, Arbi I, Douglas C, Leggett B, Fenech M, Mina J, Hoey P, Skoien R. Improving palliative and supportive care in advanced cirrhosis: the HepatoCare model of integrated collaborative care. Intern Med J 2023; 53:1963-1971. [PMID: 37812158 DOI: 10.1111/imj.16248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with advanced cirrhosis experience an unpredictable disease trajectory but are infrequently referred to palliative care (PC) services and rarely undertake advance care planning (ACP). AIM We assessed whether a novel model of care increased provision of meaningful PC in advanced cirrhosis compared with standard of care (SOC). METHODS Thirty consecutive hepatology clinic outpatients with advanced cirrhosis, meeting one or more cirrhosis-related PC referral criteria, consented to treatment in the HepatoCare clinic (PC physician, specialist liver nurse, pharmacist) in parallel with usual specialist hepatology care. A control cohort of 30 consecutive outpatients with advanced cirrhosis undergoing SOC treatment was retrospectively identified for comparison. The primary outcome was provision of meaningful PC using HepatoCare versus SOC. Additional clinical outcomes were assessed over 12 months or until death and significant differences were identified. RESULTS The intervention and control cohorts had similarly advanced cirrhosis (mean Child-Pugh scores 8.7 vs 8.2, P = 0.46; mean model for end-stage liver disease scores 14.4 vs 14.6, P = 0.88) but a lower 12-month mortality rate (33% HepatoCare vs 67% SOC; P = 0.02). The intervention cohort experienced higher uptake of formal ACP (100% vs 25% for the control cohort) and outpatient PC referral (100% vs 40%), and were more likely to die at home or in a PC bed/hospice (80% vs 30%). The majority of the HepatoCare cohort (81%) had medications safely deprescribed and experienced fewer unplanned admission days (470 vs 794). CONCLUSIONS HepatoCare is a novel multidisciplinary model of care that integrates effective PC and specialist hepatology management to improve outcomes in advanced cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Kearney
- Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Neha Tiwari
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Olivia Cullen
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Amy Legg
- Department of Pharmacy, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Ismail Arbi
- Department of Pharmacy, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Carol Douglas
- Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Barbara Leggett
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Mary Fenech
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Joanne Mina
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Paris Hoey
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Richard Skoien
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Herston, Australia
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Mohy-Ud-Din N, Syed A, Strahotin C, Babich M. Predictors and Outcomes of Palliative Care Consultations for Patients With Liver Disease: Results of a Cohort Study of 75 Million Medical Records. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2023; 40:994-998. [PMID: 36655588 DOI: 10.1177/10499091231152229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Liver transplant is the only cure for cirrhosis. We studied the impact of palliative care on patient care by conducting a population-based cohort study. Methods: We queried the Explorys database (IBM, New York) database for a diagnosis of 'cirrhosis' followed by 'palliative care consultation' and collected demographic and clinical data. Results: We identified 316,970 patients with cirrhosis. Palliative care was consulted for 10.9% (n = 34,600) of patients. Patients aged >65 [OR 1.33 (1.30-1.36), P < .0001], men [OR 1.13 (1.11-1.16), P < .0001], a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [OR 2.53 (2.45-2.60), P < .0001] were more likely to receive a palliative care consultation. Patients for whom palliative care were consulted were less likely to undergo surgical procedures [OR .49 (.47-.50)]. Conclusion: Only about 1 in 10 cirrhotics received a palliative care consultation. Older patients, males, and patients with a diagnosis of HCC are more likely to receive palliative care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabeeha Mohy-Ud-Din
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Aslam Syed
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University/MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Cristina Strahotin
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael Babich
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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