1
|
Wheless M, Lee JJ, Domenico HJ, Martin BJ, Bennett ML, Martin SF, Berlin J, Green JK, Agarwal R. Factors and Barriers to Goals-of-Care Conversations for Patients With Cancer and Inpatient Mortality. JCO Oncol Pract 2023; 19:767-776. [PMID: 37390380 PMCID: PMC10538893 DOI: 10.1200/op.23.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Conversations about personal values and goals of care (GOC) at the end of life are essential in caring for patients with advanced cancer. However, GOC conversations may be influenced by patient and oncologist factors during transitions of care. METHODS We electronically administered surveys to medical oncologists of inpatients who died from May 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021. Primary outcomes included oncologists' knowledge of inpatient death, anticipation of patient death, and recollection of GOC discussions. Secondary outcomes, including GOC documentation and advance directives (ADs), were collected retrospectively from electronic health records. Outcomes were analyzed for association with patient, oncologist, and patient-oncologist relationship factors. RESULTS For 75 patients who died, 104/158 (66%) surveys were completed by 40 inpatient and 64 outpatient oncologists. Eighty-one oncologists (77.9%) were aware of patients' deaths, 68 (65.4%) anticipated patients' deaths within 6 months, and 67 (64.4%) recalled having GOC discussions before or during the terminal hospitalization. Outpatient oncologists were more likely to report knowledge of patient death (P < .001), as were those with longer therapeutic relationships (P < .001). Inpatient oncologists were more likely to correctly anticipate patient death (P = .014). Secondary outcomes revealed 21.3% of patients had documented GOC discussions before admission and 33.3% had ADs; patients with a longer duration of cancer diagnosis were more likely to have ADs (P = .003). Oncologist-reported barriers to GOC included unrealistic expectations from patients or family (25%) and decreased patient participation because of clinical conditions (15%). CONCLUSION Most oncologists recalled having GOC discussions for patients with inpatient mortality, yet documentation of serious illness conversations remained suboptimal. Further studies are needed to examine barriers to GOC conversations and documentation during transitions of care and across health care settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Wheless
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Julie J. Lee
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Henry J. Domenico
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Office of Quality, Safety, and Risk Prevention, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Barbara J. Martin
- Vanderbilt Office of Quality, Safety, and Risk Prevention, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Marc L. Bennett
- Vanderbilt Office of Quality, Safety, and Risk Prevention, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Sara F. Martin
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Jordan Berlin
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Jennifer K. Green
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Office of Quality, Safety, and Risk Prevention, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Rajiv Agarwal
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kowaloff R. Even at the end of life, patients of color are denied equity. J Natl Med Assoc 2023; 115:319-320. [PMID: 37032268 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnma.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Kowaloff
- Umass Medical School, Department of Palliative Medicine, 55 Lake Ave N., Worcester, MA 01606.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shepard V, Al Snih S, Burke R, Downer B, Kuo YF, Malagaris I, Raji M. Characteristics Associated With Mexican-American Hospice Use: Retrospective Cohort Study Using the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE). Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2023; 40:480-491. [PMID: 35731552 PMCID: PMC9772355 DOI: 10.1177/10499091221110125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospice use is lower among ethnic/racial minorities in the United States, though little is known about trends, associated factors and duration of hospice use by Mexican-Americans. AIM The purpose of this study is to examine Mexican-American characteristics associated with hospice stay, both ≤ and > 7 days. DESIGN This retrospective cohort study used data from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the ORs and 95% CIs for hospice stay among Mexican-Americans, both ≤ and > 7 days. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS The first cohort (N = 970) includes H-EPESE participants who died between 2004 and 2016 who had Medicare parts A and B. The second cohort (N = 403) includes participants who completed the H-EPESE survey within the last 2 years of life. RESULTS Although hospice use increased among Mexican-Americans between 2004 and 2016 (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.19-2.97), 38% of participants died within the first week of hospice care. Mexican-Americans in New Mexico and Arizona were 2-4 times more likely to use hospice than those in Texas and Colorado. Dementia was associated with hospice use (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.11-1.94). Characteristics, like church attendance and living alone, were not associated with hospice use. CONCLUSIONS The substantial proportion of Mexican-Americans with 7 days or less of hospice use underscores the need for early palliative/hospice intervention to mitigate variation in use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Shepard
- Department of Population Health, University of Texas Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Soham Al Snih
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Metabolism & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rebecca Burke
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Brian Downer
- Department of Nutrition, Metabolism & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Yong-Fang Kuo
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Office of Biostatistics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Ioannis Malagaris
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Mukaila Raji
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|