JCO oncology practice
-
JCO oncology practice · Dec 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialConducting Goals-of-Care Discussions Takes Less Time Than Imagined.
To describe the length of encounter during visits where goals-of-care (GoC) discussions were expected to take place. ⋯ Oncologists can complete high-quality GoC discussions in 15 minutes. These data refute the common misperception that discussing such matters with patients with advanced cancer requires significant time.
-
JCO oncology practice · Dec 2020
Serious Illness Conversations With Outpatient Oncology Clinicians: Understanding the Patient Experience.
Guidelines recommend earlier advance care planning discussions focused on goals and values (serious illness communication) among oncology patients. We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional quality improvement evaluation of patients who had a serious illness conversation (SIC) with an oncology clinician using the Serious Illness Conversation Guide to understand patient perceptions of conversations using a structured guide. ⋯ SICs are generally acceptable to oncology patients (nonharmful to the vast majority, positive for many). Our qualitative analysis suggests a positive impact on prognostic understanding and end-of-life planning, but opportunities for improvement in the delivery of prognosis and preparing patients for SICs. Our data also identify a small cohort who responded negatively, highlighting an important area for future study.