Symptom Burden of Chronic Lung Disease Compared with Lung Cancer at Time of Referral for Palliative Care Consultation

Abstract

Patients with chronic lung disease have symptom burdens similar to those of patients with lung cancer at the time of first palliative care encounter. Given the population burden of chronic lung disease and limitations in the palliative care workforce, attention should be focused on ensuring that pulmonologists are prepared to assess and manage the common palliative care needs of patients with chronic lung disease.

Performance of Consultative Palliative Care Model in Achieving Quality Metrics in the ICU

“…However, when significant symptoms were noted, they routinely documented an intervention. The critical care team, by contrast, documents symptoms at a high rate, 8 likely due to a cultural expectation reinforced by documentation prompts. Perhaps palliative care clinicians focus their role in the ICU on recommendations for symptom management over routinely documenting symptom assessment, which may be seen as redundant.…”

“…Briefly, the GPCQA is a nationwide learning health system in palliative care including community and academic partners predominantly in the southeastern United States. 8 At each encounter entered into the GPCQA data system, palliative care providers document patient- or proxy-reported data on a multi-domain comprehensive palliative care assessment, including symptom severity on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale 9 , tolerability of symptoms, psychosocial and spiritual distress, quality of life, performance status, and prognosis for survival as estimated by the palliative care clinician. The QDACT database, also includes baseline demographics, primary diagnosis as assessed by the palliative care consultant, reason for palliative care consultation, and location of consultation.…”

Palliative care access for hospitalized patients with end‐stage liver disease across the United States

“…The increased use of PC referral in ESLD patients with metastatic cancer as well as DNR status is to be expected but does warrant further investigation. In numerous other noncancer diagnoses, disparities in PC access have been demonstrated . It is possible that patients with ESLD who have an additional cancer diagnosis may obtain PC due to their malignancy diagnoses rather than due to the diagnosis of liver disease.…”

“…In numerous other noncancer diagnoses, disparities in PC access have been demonstrated. (28)(29)(30) It is possible that patients with ESLD who have an additional cancer diagnosis may obtain PC due to their malignancy diagnoses rather than due to the diagnosis of liver disease. This may be due to the increased prevalence and awareness of the benefits of PC among oncology providers and services.…”

The Transplant Palliative Care Clinic: An early palliative care model for patients in a transplant program

“…In addition, our preliminary results indicate a TPCC model may help to stabilize or improve multiple symptoms. Several studies have identified the high symptom burden of end‐stage heart and lung disease, yet palliative care integration into noncancer disease management remains poor and inconsistent …”