Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2022
The prevalence of off-label prescribing of transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl in France.
The abuse of opioids and opioid-related harms, including deaths, in the United States are well documented. In the European Union, opioid use has also been increasing, particularly of fentanyl. ⋯ The prevalence of off-label prescribing of TIRF in France is extremely high. A field survey is now needed 1) to better understand why TIRF is used in conditions not indicated in its marketing authorization, and in what clinical situations, and 2) to determine whether the benefit/risk ratio of such use is favorable.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2022
The Impact of Virtual Interviews on Recruitment in Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Training.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led many leaders to reassess how recruitment into the medical field is conducted. In Hospice and Palliative Medicine, many training programs are moving to virtual recruitment as a more permanent strategy. However, virtual recruitment disproportionately affects smaller training programs as well as those in smaller cities or those whose location is less well-known. ⋯ While acknowledging benefits that can only be achieved in-person, our faculty believe that virtual interviews for future Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellows is an effective and potentially advantageous way to recruit the future work force of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2022
Improving Outcomes Measurement in Palliative Care: The Lasting Impact of Randy Curtis and his Collaborators.
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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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2022
Delphi Method to Develop a Palliative Care Tool for Children and Families in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In sub-Saharan Africa, there is no standardized approach to pediatric palliative care assessment. Because of this, there is a critical demand for evidence-based assessment tools that identify the specialized needs of children and their families requiring palliative care in developing countries. ⋯ The Delphi method was an effective tool to develop a consensus on a PPC assessment tool to use with children and their families in sub-Saharan Africa. This standardized approach will enable the collection of data to drive outcomes and research.