Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2014
Multicenter Study Controlled Clinical TrialChanges in quality of care and quality of life of outpatients with advanced cancer after a regional palliative care intervention program.
A recent mixed-methods study to evaluate the effects of a comprehensive regional palliative care program, the Japan Outreach Palliative Care Trial of the Integrated Model study, achieved broad positive outcomes at a regional level. This is a secondary analysis of patient outcomes. ⋯ Although average changes in patient-reported outcomes were relatively small in the total sample of patients, the intervention seemed to provide tangible benefits for the patients with poor general conditions. A future regional intervention trial should include patient outcomes in those with a poor general condition to evaluate the net effects of the program.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2014
Controlled Clinical TrialBreathlessness, functional status, distress, and palliative care needs over time in patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or lung cancer: a cohort study.
Breathlessness is a distressing symptom in advanced disease. Understanding its patterns, burden, and palliative care (PC) needs over time is important to improve patients' quality of life. ⋯ The PC needs of patients with advanced COPD are comparable with LC patients, and breathlessness severity and distress are even higher. The care for COPD patients requires further improvement to address symptom burden and PC needs.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyClinic-based outpatient palliative care before hospice is associated with longer hospice length of service.
Outpatient nonhospice palliative care has been shown to provide many benefits to patients facing advanced illness, but such services remain uncommon in the U.S. Little is known about the association between clinic-based outpatient palliative care consultation and the timing of hospice enrollment. ⋯ Hospice patients who had clinic-based outpatient palliative consults before hospice enrollment tended, on average, to have a longer LOS in hospice than patients who did not.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2014
The effectiveness of the Geritalk communication skills course: a real-time assessment of skill acquisition and deliberate practice.
Communication skills are critical in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine because these patients confront complex clinical scenarios. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Geritalk communication skills course by comparing pre- and post-course real-time assessment of the participants leading family meetings. We also evaluated the participants' sustained skills practice. ⋯ This intensive training and family meeting assessment offers evidence-based communication skills training.