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Conformance with supportive care quality measures is associated with better quality of life in patients with cancer receiving palliative care.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kamal, AH; Bull, J; Stinson, CS; Blue, DL; Abernethy, AP
Published in: J Oncol Pract
May 2013

PURPOSE: As palliative care further integrates into cancer care, descriptions of how supportive care quality measures improve patient outcomes are necessary to establish best practices. METHODS: We assessed the relationship between conformance to 18 palliative care quality measures and quality of life from data obtained using our novel point-of-care, electronic quality monitoring system, the Quality Data Collection Tool for Palliative Care (QDACT-PC). All patients with cancer from January 2008 through March 2011 seen in the Carolinas Palliative Care Consortium were evaluated for demographic, disease, prognostic, performance status, and measure conformance variables. Using univariate and multivariate regression, we examined the relationship between these variable and high quality of life at the initial specialty palliative care consultation. RESULTS: Our cohort included 459 patients, the majority of whom were over age 65 years (66%) and white (84%). Lung (29.1%) and GI (24.7%) cancers were most common. In univariate analyses, conformance to assessment of comprehensive symptoms, fatigue and constipation assessment, timely management of pain and constipation, and timely emotional well-being assessment were associated with highest levels of quality of life (all Ps < .05). In a multivariate model (C-stat = 0.66), performance status (odds ratio [OR], 5.21; P = .003), estimated life expectancy (OR, 22.6; P = .003), conformance to the measure related to emotional well-being assessment (OR, 1.60; P = .026), and comprehensive screening of symptoms (OR, 1.74, P = .008) remained significant. CONCLUSION: Oncology care pathways that routinely incorporate supportive care principles, such as comprehensive symptom and emotional well-being assessments, may improve patient outcomes.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

J Oncol Pract

DOI

EISSN

1935-469X

Publication Date

May 2013

Volume

9

Issue

3

Start / End Page

e73 / e76

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Quality of Life
  • Quality Assurance, Health Care
  • Palliative Care
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Odds Ratio
  • Neoplasms
  • Middle Aged
  • Medical Informatics
  • Male
  • Humans
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Kamal, A. H., Bull, J., Stinson, C. S., Blue, D. L., & Abernethy, A. P. (2013). Conformance with supportive care quality measures is associated with better quality of life in patients with cancer receiving palliative care. J Oncol Pract, 9(3), e73–e76. https://doi.org/10.1200/JOP.2013.000948
Kamal, Arif H., Janet Bull, Charles S. Stinson, Debra L. Blue, and Amy P. Abernethy. “Conformance with supportive care quality measures is associated with better quality of life in patients with cancer receiving palliative care.J Oncol Pract 9, no. 3 (May 2013): e73–76. https://doi.org/10.1200/JOP.2013.000948.
Kamal, Arif H., et al. “Conformance with supportive care quality measures is associated with better quality of life in patients with cancer receiving palliative care.J Oncol Pract, vol. 9, no. 3, May 2013, pp. e73–76. Pubmed, doi:10.1200/JOP.2013.000948.

Published In

J Oncol Pract

DOI

EISSN

1935-469X

Publication Date

May 2013

Volume

9

Issue

3

Start / End Page

e73 / e76

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Quality of Life
  • Quality Assurance, Health Care
  • Palliative Care
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Odds Ratio
  • Neoplasms
  • Middle Aged
  • Medical Informatics
  • Male
  • Humans