A Severity Index Designed as an Indicator of Acuity in Palliative Care

1993 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Strause ◽  
Laurel Herbst ◽  
True Ryndes ◽  
Mary Callaghan ◽  
Lawrence Piro
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Terminal Illness ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Outpatient Services ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Care Settings

Patients who are facing terminal illness frequently experience changes in health care settings which are necessitated by acute events during palliative care. This pilot study evaluates the reliability, criterion validity, and appropriateness of the San Diego Severity Index (SDSI) in a population of advanced cancer patients in different care settings. The SDSI includes diagnostic, acuity, and psychosocial assessments. Cancer patients were evaluated in an outpatient oncology clinic (SCRF), a hospice home care (HC) program, and an acute care hospital/hospice centre (ACC). Scores were lowest for SCRF (9.51 ± 3.7), HC was intermediate (24.04 ± 8.8), while patients at the ACC scored the highest (29.33 ± 7.0). Patients admitted to the ACC were significantly more acute, as assessed by the SDSI, than those utilizing outpatient services. This instrument may be useful as an indicator of appropriate transitions between health care settings.

scholarly journals Correction to: Content validation of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL with advanced cancer patients and health care professionals from palliative care services in Chile

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslye Rojas-Concha ◽  
Maiken Bang Hansen ◽  
Morten Aagaard Petersen ◽  
Mogens Groenvold
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Content Validation ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Palliative Care Services ◽  
Eortc Qlq

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

scholarly journals Resilience for family carers of advanced cancer patients—how can health care providers contribute? A qualitative interview study with carers

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 1410-1418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingebrigt Røen ◽  
Hans Stifoss-Hanssen ◽  
Gunn Grande ◽  
Anne-Tove Brenne ◽  
Stein Kaasa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study

Background: Caring for advanced cancer patients affects carers’ psychological and physical health. Resilience has been defined as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or even significant sources of threat.” Aim: The aim of this study was to explore factors promoting carer resilience, based on carers’ experiences with and preferences for health care provider support. Design: Qualitative, semi-structured, individual interviews with family carers of advanced cancer patients were performed until data saturation. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using systematic text condensation. Setting/participants: Carers ( n = 14) of advanced cancer patients, not receiving curative treatment, admitted to an integrated curative and palliative care cancer outpatient clinic or to a university hospital cancer clinic, were included. Results: 14 carers of advanced cancer patients were included; 7 men, 7 women, and mean age of 59 years; 3 were bereaved; 12 were partners; 5 had young and teenage children. Four main resilience factors were identified: (1) being seen and known by health care providers—a personal relation; (2) availability of palliative care; (3) information and communication about illness, prognosis, and death; and (4) facilitating a good carer–patient relation. Conclusion: Health care providers may enhance carers’ resilience by a series of simple interventions. Education should address carers’ support needs and resilience. Systematic assessment of carers’ support needs is recommended. Further investigation is needed into how health care providers can help carers and patients communicate about death.

scholarly journals Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in Houston, Texas: An outline

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafeez Rehman ◽  
Imran Shaikh ◽  
Kasimu Muhetaer ◽  
Salma Khuwaja
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Health Care Settings ◽  
Disease Surveillance System ◽  
Enterobacteriaceae Infections

ObjectiveTo examine demographic as well as clinical characteristics of theCarbapenam Resistant Enteriobacteriacae (CRE) Organisms cases inHouston, Texas, 2015-2016IntroductionAccording to CDC, CRE is used to describe bacteria that are non-susceptible to one or more carbapenems; doripenem, meropenemor imipenem and resistant to third generation cephalosporins likeceftriaxone, cefotaxime and ceftazidime. These organisms causeinfections that are associated with high mortality rates and they havethe potential to spread widely. Antibiotic resistant bacteria causemore than 2 million illnesses and at least 23,000 deaths each year inUnited States. CREs are found in many health care settings like acutecare hospitals, long term care facilities, nursing homes, rehabilitationfacilities and other health care settings. Although CREs includes anumber of species, reporting in State of Texas is limited to CRE-Klebsiellaspecies and CRE-E.coli.MethodsPopulation-based surveillance data was generated from Houston’selectronic disease surveillance system reported to Houston HealthDepartment (HHD) from October 2015 to July 2016. Descriptiveanalysis was performed to examine demographic and clinicalcharacteristics across different age groups, gender and race/ethnicity.HHD has received a total of 463 CRE cases during the time period,out of which 72 were non-reportable and did not meet the casecriteria, 187 were out of jurisdiction. The remaining 204 cases wereincluded in this study.ResultsOut of a total of 204 cases, males and females were representedequally (50% each). The mean age of the cases was 67 years(age ranges from 22-98). Majority of the cases were in the older agegroup, 70 years and above 53 (26%), followed by 48 (24%) in agegroup 80 and above years. Among the different race/ethnic groups,African-Americans comprised of 82 (40%), followed by Whites67 (33%) and Hispanics 33 (16%). Out of 204 cases, 156 (76%)were hospitalized, which included acute care hospital, long-termacute care or nursing home. Out of 156 hospitalized cases, 71 (34%)were in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 136 (67%) had an invasiveor indwelling device. Of all the cases, 80% had CREKlebsiellapneumoniae, followed by 11% who had CRE- E coli. The cases weredistributed evenly across the city when plotted on ArcGIS with theirresidential addresses.ConclusionsCRE cases are found to be more common among older age groups,African American population and in hospitalized patients. CRE canbe a ground for increasing infectious diseases in the community andone of the reason may be unnecessary use of antimicrobial agents.This study provides a glimpse into the number of CRE cases reportedin Houston since CREs are classified a separate disease in Texas.Further studies are needed to explore the occurrence of anti-microbialdrug resistance among the specific population groups and how thecase investigation efforts can be targeted to enhance prevention.

Pilot study to evaluate a novel advance-care planning tool to identify informed health care proxies in an oncology palliative care clinic.

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 136-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Roeland ◽  
Melanie Benn ◽  
Sean Heavey ◽  
Ashleigh Campillo ◽  
Carolyn Revta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Care Proxy ◽  
Care Clinic ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Health Care Proxies

136 Background: To increase the probability that cancer patients receive care consistent with their wishes, medical providers require simple, practical, and effective communication tools to initiate and complete meaningful advance care planning (ACP) discussions. Ideally, ACP discussions occur in the non-emergent setting with a selected health care proxy and trusted medical provider and may lead to completion of an advance directive (AD). The primary aim of this study is to determine the proportion of advanced cancer patients who identify an informed health care proxy implementing a novel ACP tool. Methods: In an American Cancer Society funded pilot study, advanced cancer patients were evaluated in an academic oncology palliative care clinic (n=35). Subjects engaged in a 1-hour ACP intervention completed by a licensed clinical social worker utilizing a novel ACP tool developed by the investigators. The ACP tool identifies a health care proxy and defines three key elements an informed health care proxy must know. Details of this ACP conversation were documented in the electronic medical record with the goal of completing an AD. After subject’s death, health care proxies were contacted to determine if end-of-life wishes were honored. Results: 35 subjects (51% woman, 71% Caucasian, 54% married) were enrolled with a mean age ± SD of 57.4 ± 14.1 years with gastrointestinal as the most common primary cancer (13/35). The ACP intervention was completed in 80% in 1-2 clinic visits. After the ACP intervention, 94% of subjects (33/35) identified an informed health care proxy. The most common identified health care proxies were either a spouse (17/35) or child (11/35). 43% of subjects (15/35) completed an AD after the ACP intervention. As of July 2014, 69% (24/35) of subjects had died and 71% of these (17/24) died in a setting consistent with their end-of-life wishes. Mean time to death from ACP intervention was 4.5 ± 3.2 months. 11 subjects remain in surveillance. Conclusions: Results suggest that this novel ACP tool facilitates successful identification of an informed health care proxy. Despite low AD completion, death consistent with end-of-life wishes was achieved in the majority of patients.

scholarly journals Acute-Care Hospital Use Patterns Near End-of-Life for Cancer Patients Who Die in Hospital in Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 109s-109s
Author(s):  
J. Tung ◽  
K. Decaria ◽  
D. Dudgeon ◽  
E. Green ◽  
R. Shaw Moxam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Life Care

Background: Acute-care hospitals have a role in managing the needs of people with cancer when they are at the end-of-life; however, overutilization of hospital care at the end-of-life results in poorer quality of life and can worsen the patient's experience. Early integration of comprehensive palliative care can greatly reduce unplanned visits to the emergency department, reduce avoidable admissions to hospital, shorten hospital stays, and increase the number of home deaths as well as improve the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer. Aim: To describe the current landscape of acute-care hospital utilization near the end-of-life across Canada and indirectly examine access to palliative care in cancer patients who die in hospital. Methods: Data were obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The analysis was restricted to adults aged 18+ who died in an acute care hospital in 2014/15 and 2015/16 for nine provinces and three territories. The Discharge Abstract Database was used to extract acute-care cancer death abstracts. Data on intensive care unit (ICU) admissions includes only facilities that report ICU data. Results: Acute care utilization at end-of-life remains commonplace. In Canada (excluding Québec), 43% (48,987) of deaths from cancer occurred in acute-care hospitals, with 70% admitted through the emergency department (ED). In the last six months of life, cancer patients dying in hospital had a median cumulative length of stay ranging from 17 to 25 days, depending on the province. Between 18.1% and 32.8% of patients experienced two or more admissions to the hospital in the last month of life. The proportion of cancer patients admitted to the ICU in the last 14 days of life ranged from 6.4% to 15.1%. Patient demographics (age, sex, place of residence) and clinical factors (cancer type) were often predictors of hospital utilization at end-of-life and likely point to inequities in access to palliative and end-of-life care. Conclusion: Despite previous patient surveys indicating that patients would prefer to receive care and spend their finals days at home or in a hospice, there appears to be overuse of and overreliance on acute care hospital services near the end-of-life in Canada. The high rates of hospital deaths and admissions through the ED at the end-of-life for cancer patients may signal a lack of planning for impeding death and inadequate availability of or access to community- and home-based palliative and end-of-life care services. Acute care hospitals may have a role in managing the health care needs of people affected by cancer; however, end-of-life care should be an option in other settings that align with patient preferences. Standards or practice guidelines to identify, assess and refer patients to palliative care services earlier in their cancer journey should be developed and implemented to ensure optimal quality of life.

Measuring palliative and end-of-life care for cancer patients who die in hospital in Canada.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (8_suppl) ◽  
pp. 58-58
Author(s):  
Kristen Decaria ◽  
Deborah Dudgeon ◽  
Esther Green ◽  
Raquel Shaw Moxam ◽  
Rami Rahal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Hospital Utilization ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Life Care

58 Background: High acute hospital utilization rates near end-of-life can signal that community-based palliative care may not be suiting patients’ needs. Early integration of comprehensive palliative care can greatly reduce unplanned visits to the emergency department, reduce multiple admissions to hospital, shorten hospital stays, and increase the number of home deaths as well as improving the quality of life of advanced cancer patients. This analysis reports on indicators that describe the current landscape of acute-care hospital utilization at end-of-life and indirectly examines access to palliative care in patients who died of cancer in a hospital. Methods: Data were provided by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The Discharge Abstract Database was used to extract acute-care cancer death abstracts. Data on ICU admissions include only facilities that report ICU data. Emergency department visit data were obtained from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System. The analysis was restricted to adults aged 18+ who died in an acute-care hospital in fiscal years 2014/15 and 2015/16 for nine provinces and three territories. Results: A total of 48,987 (43%) cancer patient deaths occurred in an acute-care hospitals, with 70% admitted through the emergency department. Preliminary analysis revealed interprovincial variation in the cumulative length of stay in hospital 6 months prior to death from a median stay of 17 to 25 days. Some variation was also seen in the proportion of patients admitted to hospital two or more times in the last month of life (ranging from 18% to 33%), and the proportion of cancer patients admitted to ICU in the last 14 days of life (ranging from 15% to 6%). Patient demographics (age, sex, place of residence) and clinical factors (cancer type) were often predictors of hospital utilization at end-of-life. Conclusions: This study provides information on the current landscape of acute-care hospital utilization by cancer patients at end-of-life across Canada and identifies interprovincial variations in management of end-of-life care. An area of focus for the Palliative and End-of-Life National Network continue to be developing nationally agreed upon system-wide palliative care indicators.

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