Journal of pain and symptom management
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2017
One size does not fit all: disease profiles of serious illness patients receiving specialty palliative care.
Understanding the symptom profiles of seriously ill patients who receive palliative care, especially noncancer diagnoses where the data are sparse and are critical to better targeting our resources to the needs of patients. ⋯ This study is one of the first to describe symptom burden and functional scores by diagnostic categories and care settings across a community-based interdisciplinary specialty palliative care program. Results demonstrated statistically significant and clinically relevant differences among settings of care, functional status, and symptom profiles between patients with various serious illnesses.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2017
Development of a Protocol for Successful Palliative Care Consultation in Population of Patients Receiving Mechanical Circulatory Support.
In 2014, Joint Commission recommended palliative care (PC) engagement in ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation as destination therapy. Limited information is available on established PC protocols in the mechanical circulatory support (MCS) population. ⋯ Close PC/cardiology collaboration can substantially improve ACP discussions and SDM documentation in the MCS population. This multidisciplinary protocol facilitates successful PC consultations.