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Naya K, Sakuramoto H, Aikawa G, Ouchi A, Oyama Y, Tanaka Y, Kaneko K, Fukushima A, Ota Y. Intensive care unit interventions to improve quality of dying and death: scoping review. BMJ Support Palliat Care 2024:spcare-2024-004967. [PMID: 39089724 DOI: 10.1136/spcare-2024-004967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intensive care units (ICUs) have mortality rates of 10%-29% owing to illness severity. Postintensive care syndrome-family affects bereaved relatives, with a prevalence of 26% at 3 months after bereavement, increasing the risk for anxiety and depression. Complicated grief highlights issues such as family presence at death, inadequate physician communication and urgent improvement needs in end-of-life care. However, no study has comprehensively reviewed strategies and components of interventions to improve end-of-life care in ICUs. AIM This scoping review aimed to analyse studies on improvement of the quality of dying and death in ICUs and identify interventions and their evaluation measures and effects on patients. METHODS MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Central Journal of Medicine databases were searched for relevant studies published until December 2023, and their characteristics and details were extracted and categorised based on the Joanna Briggs model. RESULTS A total of 24 articles were analysed and 10 intervention strategies were identified: communication skills, brochure/leaflet/pamphlet, symptom management, intervention by an expert team, surrogate decision-making, family meeting/conference, family participation in bedside rounds, psychosocial assessment and support for family members, bereavement care and feedback on end-on-life care for healthcare workers. Some studies included alternative assessment by family members and none used patient assessment of the intervention effects. CONCLUSION This review identified 10 intervention strategies to improve the quality of dying and death in ICUs. Many studies aimed to enhance the quality by evaluating the outcomes through proxy assessments. Future studies should directly assess the quality of dying process, including symptom evaluation of the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuaki Naya
- Wakayama Faculty of Nursing, Tokyo Healthcare University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Hideaki Sakuramoto
- Department of Critical Care and Disaster Nursing, Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Gen Aikawa
- College of Nursing, Kanto Gakuin University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Akira Ouchi
- Department of Adult Health Nursing, Ibaraki Christian University, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yusuke Oyama
- Department of Nursing, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yuta Tanaka
- Department of Nursing, Akita University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Akita, Japan
| | | | - Ayako Fukushima
- Department of Critical Care and Disaster Nursing, Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yuma Ota
- Department of Nursing, Tokyo Healthcare University, Tokyo, Japan
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Courtright KR, Madden V, Bayes B, Chowdhury M, Whitman C, Small DS, Harhay MO, Parra S, Cooney-Zingman E, Ersek M, Escobar GJ, Hill SH, Halpern SD. Default Palliative Care Consultation for Seriously Ill Hospitalized Patients: A Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Trial. JAMA 2024; 331:224-232. [PMID: 38227032 PMCID: PMC10792472 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.25092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Importance Increasing inpatient palliative care delivery is prioritized, but large-scale, experimental evidence of its effectiveness is lacking. Objective To determine whether ordering palliative care consultation by default for seriously ill hospitalized patients without requiring greater palliative care staffing increased consultations and improved outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants A pragmatic, stepped-wedge, cluster randomized trial was conducted among patients 65 years or older with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, or kidney failure admitted from March 21, 2016, through November 14, 2018, to 11 US hospitals. Outcome data collection ended on January 31, 2019. Intervention Ordering palliative care consultation by default for eligible patients, while allowing clinicians to opt-out, was compared with usual care, in which clinicians could choose to order palliative care. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was hospital length of stay, with deaths coded as the longest length of stay, and secondary end points included palliative care consult rate, discharge to hospice, do-not-resuscitate orders, and in-hospital mortality. Results Of 34 239 patients enrolled, 24 065 had lengths of stay of at least 72 hours and were included in the primary analytic sample (10 313 in the default order group and 13 752 in the usual care group; 13 338 [55.4%] women; mean age, 77.9 years). A higher percentage of patients in the default order group received palliative care consultation than in the standard care group (43.9% vs 16.6%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.17 [95% CI, 4.59-5.81]) and received consultation earlier (mean [SD] of 3.4 [2.6] days after admission vs 4.6 [4.8] days; P < .001). Length of stay did not differ between the default order and usual care groups (percent difference in median length of stay, -0.53% [95% CI, -3.51% to 2.53%]). Patients in the default order group had higher rates of do-not-resuscitate orders at discharge (aOR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.21-1.63]) and discharge to hospice (aOR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.07-1.57]) than the usual care group, and similar in-hospital mortality (4.7% vs 4.2%; aOR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.68-1.08]). Conclusions and Relevance Default palliative care consult orders did not reduce length of stay for older, hospitalized patients with advanced chronic illnesses, but did improve the rate and timing of consultation and some end-of-life care processes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02505035.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R. Courtright
- Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Vanessa Madden
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Brian Bayes
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Marzana Chowdhury
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Casey Whitman
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Dylan S. Small
- Department of Statistics, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Michael O. Harhay
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | | | - Elizabeth Cooney-Zingman
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Mary Ersek
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | | | | | - Scott D. Halpern
- Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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Fischer C, Bednarz D, Simon J. Methodological challenges and potential solutions for economic evaluations of palliative and end-of-life care: A systematic review. Palliat Med 2024; 38:85-99. [PMID: 38142280 PMCID: PMC10798028 DOI: 10.1177/02692163231214124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the increasing demand for palliative and end-of-life care, along with the introduction of costly new treatments, there is a pressing need for robust evidence on value. However, comprehensive guidance is missing on methods for conducting economic evaluations in this field. AIM To identify and summarise existing information on methodological challenges and potential solutions/recommendations for economic evaluations of palliative and end-of-life care. DESIGN We conducted a systematic review of publications on methodological considerations for economic evaluations of adult palliative and end-of-life care as per our PROSPERO protocol CRD42020148160. Following initial searches, we conducted a two-stage screening process and quality appraisal. Information was thematically synthesised, coded, categorised into common themes and aligned with the items specified in the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards statement. DATA SOURCES The databases Medline, Embase, HTADatabase, NHSEED and grey literature were searched between 1 January 1999 and 5 June 2023. RESULTS Out of the initial 6502 studies, 81 were deemed eligible. Identified challenges could be grouped into nine themes: ambiguous and inaccurate patient identification, restricted generalisability due to poor geographic transferability of evidence, narrow costing perspective applied, difficulties defining comparators, consequences of applied time horizon, ambiguity in the selection of outcomes, challenged outcome measurement, non-standardised measurement and valuation of costs as well as challenges regarding a reliable preference-based outcome valuation. CONCLUSION Our review offers a comprehensive context-specific overview of methodological considerations for economic evaluations of palliative and end-of-life care. It also identifies the main knowledge gaps to help prioritise future methodological research specifically for this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Fischer
- Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Damian Bednarz
- Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Judit Simon
- Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria
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Chuck the Old Compass for a New One: Navigating Palliative Care in the ICU. Crit Care Med 2023; 51:141-143. [PMID: 36519988 DOI: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000005722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Huang J, Qi H, Zhu Y, Zhang M. Factors Influencing the Initiative Behavior of Intensive Care Unit Nurses toward End-of-Life Decision Making: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Palliat Med 2022; 25:1802-1809. [PMID: 35749724 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2021.0640] [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: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Although the importance of intensive care unit (ICU) nurse initiative in end-of-life (EOL) decision making has been confirmed, there are few studies on the nurses' initiative in EOL situations. Objectives: To explore the role and mechanism of facilitators/barriers and perceived stress on the behavior of ICU nurses that initiate EOL decision making (i.e., initiative behavior). Design: This research adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design. Setting/Participants: A questionnaire composed of demographics, facilitators/barriers scale, perceived stress scale, and initiative behavior for EOL decision-making scale was used for registered ICU nurses in five tertiary general hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China. Results: The average score of the EOL decision initiative behavior was 5.54 on a range of 2-10. The results of correlation analysis indicated that the facilitators promote the initiative behavior, whereas the barriers interfere with initiative behavior. Facilitators/barriers in the EOL decision-making process significantly predicted the initiative behavior of ICU nurses in decision making (β = 0.698, p < 0.001). Facilitators/barriers had a significant indirect effect on the initiative behavior of ICU nurses through perceived stress. The 95% confidence interval was (-0.327 to -0.031), and the mediating effect of perceived stress accounted for 6.31% of the total effect. Conclusion: In the EOL context, the decision initiative of ICU nurses was at a medium level. Medical managers should implement intervention strategies based on the path that affects the initiative behavior of ICU nurses to reduce barriers and stress level in the decision-making process. That is, they should improve inter-team collaboration, nurse-patient communication, clarity of role responsibilities, and emotional support in dying situations to increase initiative and participation of ICU nurses in decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingying Huang
- Postanesthesia Care Unit, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Haiou Qi
- Nursing Department, and Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yiting Zhu
- Postanesthesia Care Unit, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Minyan Zhang
- Intensive Care Unit, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
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Curtis JR, Lee RY, Brumback LC, Kross EK, Downey L, Torrence J, Heywood J, LeDuc N, Mallon Andrews K, Im J, Weiner BJ, Khandelwal N, Abedini NC, Engelberg RA. Improving communication about goals of care for hospitalized patients with serious illness: Study protocol for two complementary randomized trials. Contemp Clin Trials 2022; 120:106879. [PMID: 35963531 PMCID: PMC10042145 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106879] [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] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although goals-of-care discussions are important for high-quality palliative care, this communication is often lacking for hospitalized older patients with serious illness. Electronic health records (EHR) provide an opportunity to identify patients who might benefit from these discussions and promote their occurrence, yet prior interventions using the EHR for this purpose are limited. We designed two complementary yet independent randomized trials to examine effectiveness of a communication-priming intervention (Jumpstart) for hospitalized older adults with serious illness. METHODS We report the protocol for these 2 randomized trials. Trial 1 has two arms, usual care and a clinician-facing Jumpstart, and is a pragmatic trial assessing outcomes with the EHR only (n = 2000). Trial 2 has three arms: usual care, clinician-facing Jumpstart, and clinician- and patient-facing (bi-directional) Jumpstart (n = 600). We hypothesize the clinician-facing Jumpstart will improve outcomes over usual care and the bi-directional Jumpstart will improve outcomes over the clinician-facing Jumpstart and usual care. We use a hybrid effectiveness-implementation design to examine implementation barriers and facilitators. OUTCOMES For both trials, the primary outcome is EHR documentation of a goals-of-care discussion within 30 days of randomization; additional outcomes include intensity of end-of-life care. Trial 2 also examines patient- or family-reported outcomes assessed by surveys targeting 3-5 days and 4-8 weeks after randomization including quality of goals-of-care communication, receipt of goal-concordant care, and psychological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This novel study incorporates two complementary randomized trials and a hybrid effectiveness-implementation approach to improve the quality and value of care for hospitalized older adults with serious illness. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION STUDY00007031-A and STUDY00007031-B.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Randall Curtis
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America.
| | - Robert Y Lee
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Lyndia C Brumback
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Erin K Kross
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Lois Downey
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Janaki Torrence
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Joanna Heywood
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Nicole LeDuc
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Kasey Mallon Andrews
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Im
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Bryan J Weiner
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Nita Khandelwal
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Nauzley C Abedini
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Ruth A Engelberg
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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Xu DD, Luo D, Chen J, Zeng JL, Cheng XL, Li J, Pei JJ, Hu F. Nurses' perceptions of barriers and supportive behaviors in end-of-life care in the intensive care unit: a cross-sectional study. Palliat Care 2022; 21:130. [PMID: 35854257 PMCID: PMC9294848 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-022-01020-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Patient deaths are common in the intensive care unit, and a nurse's perception of barriers to and supportive behaviors in end-of-life care varies widely depending upon their cultural background. The aim of this study was to describe the perceptions of intensive care nurses regarding barriers to and supportive behaviors in providing end-of-life care in a Chinese cultural context. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted among intensive care nurses in 20 intensive care units in 11 general hospitals in central and eastern China. Instruments used in this study were general survey and Beckstrand's questionnaire. Data were collected via online survey platform. Descriptive analysis was used to describe general characteristics of participants and mean and standard deviations of the barriers and supportive behaviors. The mean and standard deviation were used to describe the intensity and frequency of each barrier or supportive behavior following Beckstrand's method to calculate the score of barriers and supportive behaviors. Content analysis was used to analyze the responses to open-ended questions. RESULTS The response rate was 53% (n = 368/700). Five of the top six barriers related to families and the other was the nurse's lack of time. Supportive behaviors included three related to families and three related to healthcare providers. Nurses in the intensive care unit felt that families should be present at the bedside of a dying patient, there is a need to provide a quiet, independent environment and psychological support should be provided to the patient and family. Nurses believe that if possible, families can be given flexibility to visit dying patients, such as increasing the number of visits, rather than limiting visiting hours altogether. Families need to be given enough time to perform the final rites on the dying patient. Moreover, it is remarkable that nurses' supportive behaviors almost all concern care after death. CONCLUSIONS According to ICU-nurses family-related factors, such as accompany of the dying patients and acceptence of patient's imminent death, were found the major factors affecting the quality of end-of-life care. These findings identify the most prominent current barriers and supportive behaviors, which may provide a basis for addressing these issues in the future to improve the quality of end-of-life care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Dan Xu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Clinical Research Center of Hubei Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care and Anesthesia Nursing Research Center, School of Nursing, Wuhan University, PO Box 430071, No. 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Wuhan University School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Chen
- University of Connecticut School of Nursing, Mansfield, USA
| | - Ji-Li Zeng
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Clinical Research Center of Hubei Critical Care Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | | | - Jin Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Clinical Research Center of Hubei Critical Care Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Juan-Juan Pei
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Clinical Research Center of Hubei Critical Care Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Fen Hu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Clinical Research Center of Hubei Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care and Anesthesia Nursing Research Center, School of Nursing, Wuhan University, PO Box 430071, No. 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
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Cox CE, Ashana DC, Khandelwal N, Kamal AH, Engelberg RA. Improving Outcomes Measurement in Palliative Care: The Lasting Impact of Randy Curtis and his Collaborators. J Pain Symptom Manage 2022; 63:e579-e586. [PMID: 35595371 PMCID: PMC9173670 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Palliative care research is deeply challenging for many reasons, not the least of which is the conceptual and operational difficulty of measuring outcomes within a seriously ill population such as critically ill patients and their family members. This manuscript describes how Randy Curtis and his network of collaborators successfully confronted some of the most vexing outcomes measurement problems in the field, and by so doing, have enhanced clinical care and research alike. Beginning with a discussion of the clinical challenges of measurement in palliative care, we then discuss a selection of the novel measures developed by Randy and his collaborators and conclude with a look toward the future evolution of these concepts. Randy and his foundational work, including both successes as well as the occasional near miss, have enriched and advanced the field as well as (immeasurably) impacted the work of so many others-including this manuscript's authors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E Cox
- Duke University School of Medicine (C.E.C., D.C.A.), Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Program to Support People and Enhance Recovery (ProSPER) (C.E.C., D.C.A.), Duke University, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham North Carolina, USA.
| | - Deepshikha Charan Ashana
- Duke University School of Medicine (C.E.C., D.C.A.), Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Program to Support People and Enhance Recovery (ProSPER) (C.E.C., D.C.A.), Duke University, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham North Carolina, USA
| | - Nita Khandelwal
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine (N.K.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence (N.K., R.A.E.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Arif H Kamal
- Duke University School of Medicine (A.H.K.), Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ruth A Engelberg
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence (N.K., R.A.E.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; University of Washington, Department of Medicine (R.A.E.), Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Khandelwal N, May P, Downey LM, Engelberg RA, Curtis JR. Advance Identification of Patients With Chronic Conditions and Acute Respiratory Failure at Greatest Risk for High-Intensity, Costly Care. J Pain Symptom Manage 2022; 63:618-626. [PMID: 34793946 PMCID: PMC8930607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Patients with underlying chronic illness requiring mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure are at risk for poor outcomes and high costs. OBJECTIVES Identify characteristics at time of intensive care unit (ICU) admission that identify patients at highest risk for high-intensity, costly care. METHODS Retrospective cohort study using electronic health and financial records (2011-2017) for patients requiring ≥48 hours of mechanical ventilation with ≥1 underlying chronic condition at an academic healthcare system. Main outcome was total cost of index hospitalization. Exposures of interest included number and type of chronic conditions. We used finite mixture models to identify the highest-cost group. RESULTS 4,892 patients met study criteria. Median cost for index hospitalization was $135,238 (range, $9,748 -$3,176,065). Finite mixture modelling identified three classes with mean costs of $89,980, $150,603, and $277,712. Patients more likely to be in the high-cost class were: 1) < 72 years old (OR: 2.03; 95% CI:1.63, 2.52); 2) with dementia (OR: 1.55; 95% CI:1.17, 2.06) or chronic renal failure (OR: 1.27; 95% CI:1.08, 1.48); 3) weight loss ≥ 5% in year prior to hospital admission (OR: 1.25; 95% CI:1.05, 1.48); and 4) hospitalized during prior year (OR: 1.92; 95% CI:1.58, 2.35). CONCLUSION Among patients with underlying chronic illness and acute respiratory failure, we identified characteristics associated with the highest costs of care. Identifying these patients may be of interest to healthcare systems and hospitals and serve as one indication to invest resources in palliative and supportive care programs that ensure this care is consistent with patients' goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nita Khandelwal
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine (N.K.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence (N.K., L.M.D., R.A.E., J.R.C.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
| | - Peter May
- Trinity College Dublin (P.M.), Centre for Health Policy and Management, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity College Dublin (P.M.), The Irish Longitudinal study on Ageing (TILDA), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lois M Downey
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence (N.K., L.M.D., R.A.E., J.R.C.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine (L.M.D., R.A.E., J.R.C.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ruth A Engelberg
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence (N.K., L.M.D., R.A.E., J.R.C.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine (L.M.D., R.A.E., J.R.C.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - J Randall Curtis
- Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence (N.K., L.M.D., R.A.E., J.R.C.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine (L.M.D., R.A.E., J.R.C.), University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Quality of End-of-Life Care for People with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Ontario: A Population-Based Study. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:3297-3315. [PMID: 34590598 PMCID: PMC8406090 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol28050286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ensuring high quality end of life (EOL) care is necessary for people with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), given its high incidence, mortality and symptom burden. Aggressive EOL care can adversely affect the quality of life of NSCLC patients without providing meaningful oncologic benefit. Objectives: (1) To describe EOL health services quality indicators and timing of palliative care consultation provided to patients dying of NSCLC. (2) To examine associations between aggressive and supportive care and patient, disease and treatment characteristics. Methods: This retrospective population-based cohort study describes those who died of NSCLC in Ontario, Canada from 2009–2017. Socio-demographic, patient, disease and treatment characteristics as well as EOL health service quality and use of palliative care consultation were investigated. Multivariable logistic regression models examined factors associated with receiving aggressive or supportive care. Results: Aggressive care quality indicators were present in 50.3% and supportive care indicators in 60.3% of the cohort (N = 37,203). Aggressive care indicators decreased between 2009 and 2017 (57.4% to 45.3%) and increased for supportive care (54.2% to 67.5%). Benchmarks were not met by 2017 in 3 of 4 cases. Male sex and greater comorbidity were associated with more aggressive EOL care and less supportive care. Older age was negatively associated and rurality positively associated with aggressive care. No palliative care consultation occurred in 56.0%. Conclusions: While improvements in the use of supportive rather than aggressive care were noted, established Canadian benchmarks were not met. Moreover, there is variation in EOL quality between groups and use of earlier palliative care must improve.
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Facilitating communication for critically ill patients and their family members: Study protocol for two randomized trials implemented in the U.S. and France. Contemp Clin Trials 2021; 107:106465. [PMID: 34091062 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2021.106465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Critically-ill patients and their families suffer a high burden of psychological symptoms due, in part, to many transitions among clinicians and settings during and after critical illness, resulting in fragmented care. Communication facilitators may help. DESIGN AND INTERVENTION We are conducting two cluster-randomized trials, one in the U.S. and one in France, with the goal of evaluating a nurse facilitator trained to support, model, and teach communication strategies enabling patients and families to secure care consistent with patients' goals, beginning in ICU and continuing for 3 months. PARTICIPANTS We will randomize 376 critically-ill patients in the US and 400 in France to intervention or usual care. Eligible patients have a risk of hospital mortality of greater than15% or a chronic illness with a median survival of approximately 2 years or less. OUTCOMES We assess effectiveness with patient- and family-centered outcomes, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, as well as assessments of goal-concordant care, at 1-, 3-, and 6-months post-randomization. The primary outcome is family symptoms of depression over 6 months. We also evaluate whether the intervention improves value by reducing utilization while improving outcomes. Finally, we use mixed methods to explore implementation factors associated with implementation outcomes (acceptability, fidelity, acceptability, penetration) to inform dissemination. Conducting the trial in U.S. and France will provide insights into differences and similarities between countries. CONCLUSIONS We describe the design of two randomized trials of a communication facilitator for improving outcomes for critically ill patients and their families in two countries.
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Parackal A, Ramamoorthi K, Tarride JE. Economic Evaluation of Palliative Care Interventions: A Review of the Evolution of Methods From 2011 to 2019. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2021; 39:108-122. [PMID: 34024147 DOI: 10.1177/10499091211011138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND End-of-life care is a driver of increasing healthcare costs; however, palliative care interventions may significantly reduce these costs. Economic evaluations that measure the incremental cost per quality adjusted life years (QALY) are warranted to inform cost-effectiveness of the intervention relative to a comparator and permit evaluation of investment against other therapeutic interventions. Evidence from the literature up to 2011 indicates a scarcity of cost-utility studies in palliative care research. AIM This literature review evaluates economic studies published between 2011 and 2019 to determine whether the methods of economic evaluations have evolved since 2011. DESIGN AND DATA SOURCES A literature search was completed using CENTRAL, OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE and other sources for publications between 2011 and 2019. Study characteristics, methodology and key findings of publications that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Quality of studies were assessed using indicators developed by authors of the previous literature review. RESULTS 46 papers were included for qualitative synthesis. Among them only 6 studies conducted formal cost-effectiveness evaluations-of these 5 measured QALYs and 1 employed probabilistic analyses. In addition, with the exception of 1 costing analysis, all other economic evaluations undertook a healthcare payer perspective. Quality of evidence were comparable to the previous literature review published in 2011. CONCLUSION Despite the small increase in the number of cost-utility studies, the methods of palliative care economic evaluations have not evolved significantly since 2011. More probabilistic cost-utility analyses of palliative care interventions from a societal perspective are necessary to truly evaluate the value for money.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Parackal
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karishini Ramamoorthi
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jean-Eric Tarride
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,McMaster Chair, Health Technology Management, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Center for Health Economics and Policy Analysis (CHEPA), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Programs for Assessment to Technology in Health (PATH), The Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Delirium and Associated Length of Stay and Costs in Critically Ill Patients. Crit Care Res Pract 2021; 2021:6612187. [PMID: 33981458 PMCID: PMC8088381 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6612187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Delirium frequently affects critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of delirium on ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) and perform a cost analysis. Materials and Methods Prospective studies and randomized controlled trials of patients in the ICU with delirium published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020, were evaluated. Outcome variables including ICU and hospital LOS were obtained, and ICU and hospital costs were derived from the respective LOS. Results Forty-one studies met inclusion criteria. The mean difference of ICU LOS between patients with and without delirium was significant at 4.77 days (p < 0.001); for hospital LOS, this was significant at 6.67 days (p < 0.001). Cost data were extractable for 27 studies in which both ICU and hospital LOS were available. The mean difference of ICU costs between patients with and without delirium was significant at $3,921 (p < 0.001); for hospital costs, the mean difference was $5,936 (p < 0.001). Conclusion ICU and hospital LOS and associated costs were significantly higher for patients with delirium, compared to those without delirium. Further research is necessary to elucidate other determinants of increased costs and cost-reducing strategies for critically ill patients with delirium. This can provide insight into the required resources for the prevention of delirium, which may contribute to decreasing healthcare expenditure while optimizing the quality of care.
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Bhulani N, Gupta A, Gao A, Li J, Guenther C, Ahn C, Paulk E, Houck S, Beg MS. Palliative care and end-of-life health care utilization in elderly patients with pancreatic cancer. J Gastrointest Oncol 2018; 9:495-502. [PMID: 29998015 DOI: 10.21037/jgo.2018.03.08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Palliative care has been associated with improved survival and quality of life, with lower rate of end-of-life health care utilization and cost. We examined trends in palliative care utilization in older pancreatic cancer patients. Methods Pancreatic cancer patients with and without palliative care consults were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database between 2000 and 2009. Trend of palliative care use was studied. Emergency room/intensive care unit (ICU) utilization and costs in the last 30 days of life were compared between both groups using propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis. Results Of the 54,130 patients, 3,166 (5.8%) received palliative care and 70% received it in the last 30 days of life. The proportion of patients receiving palliative care increased from 1.4% in 2000 to 7.4% in 2009 (P<0.001). Patients with palliative care were more likely to be older, Asian and women. In the unmatched and PSM population, the average visits to the ER in the last 30 days of life were significantly higher for patients who received palliative care, and had a significantly higher cost of care. Similarly, ICU length of stay in the last 30 days of life was higher in patients who did not receive palliative care in both PSM and unmatched patients. Cost of care and number of ICU admissions were not different between palliative and non-palliative care groups in PSM and unmatched patients. Conclusions In this study of Medicare patients with pancreatic cancer, palliative care use has increased between 2000 and 2009. Palliative care was largely offered close to the end of life and was not associated with reduced health care utilization or cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nizar Bhulani
- Harold Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Arjun Gupta
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ang Gao
- Harold Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Clinical Sciences, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jenny Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chad Guenther
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chul Ahn
- Harold Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Clinical Sciences, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth Paulk
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Stephanie Houck
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Muhammad S Beg
- Harold Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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Habibi A, Wu SP, Gorovets D, Sansosti A, Kryger M, Beaudreault C, Chung WY, Shelton G, Silverman J, Lowy J, Kondziolka D. Early Palliative Care for Patients With Brain Metastases Decreases Inpatient Admissions and Need for Imaging Studies. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2018; 35:1069-1075. [DOI: 10.1177/1049909118765405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Early encounters with palliative care (PC) can influence health-care utilization, clinical outcome, and cost. Aim: To study the effect of timing of PC encounters on brain metastasis patients at an academic medical center. Setting/Participants: All patients diagnosed with brain metastases from January 2013 to August 2015 at a single institution with inpatient and/or outpatient PC records available for review (N = 145). Design: Early PC was defined as having a PC encounter within 8 weeks of diagnosis with brain metastases; late PC was defined as having PC after 8 weeks of diagnosis. Propensity score matched cohorts of early (n = 46) and late (n = 46) PC patients were compared to control for differences in age, gender, and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) at diagnosis. Details of the palliative encounter, patient outcomes, and health-care utilization were collected. Results: Early PC versus late PC patients had no differences in baseline KPS, age, or gender. Early PC patients had significantly fewer number of inpatient visits per patient (1.5 vs 2.9; P = .004), emergency department visits (1.2 vs 2.1; P = .006), positron emission tomography/computed tomography studies (1.2 vs 2.7, P = .005), magnetic resonance imaging scans (5.8 vs 8.1; P = .03), and radiosurgery procedures (0.6 vs 1.3; P < .001). There were no differences in overall survival (median 8.2 vs 11.2 months; P = .2). Following inpatient admissions, early PC patients were more likely to be discharged home (59% vs 35%; P = .04). Conclusions: Timely PC consultations are advisable in this patient population and can reduce health-care utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akram Habibi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, NYU Medical School, New York, USA
| | - S. Peter Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Daniel Gorovets
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Alexandra Sansosti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, NYU Medical School, New York, USA
| | - Marc Kryger
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Cameron Beaudreault
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Wei-Yi Chung
- Department of Population Health, NYU Medical School, New York, USA
| | - Gary Shelton
- Department of Medicine, NYU Medical School, New York, USA
| | - Joshua Silverman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, NYU Medical School, New York, USA
| | - Joseph Lowy
- Department of Medicine, NYU Medical School, New York, USA
| | - Douglas Kondziolka
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, NYU Medical School, New York, USA
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Garrido MM. Robust Evaluations of Intensive Care Unit Length of Stay Using Observational Data. J Palliat Med 2018; 21:280. [DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2017.0574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa M. Garrido
- GRECC, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
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