Journal of palliative medicine
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
The Use of a Brief 5-Item Measure of Family Satisfaction as a Critical Quality Indicator in Advanced Cancer Care: A Multisite Comparison.
Although family satisfaction is recognized as a critical indicator of quality for patients with advanced cancer, it is rarely assessed as part of routine clinical care. Measurement burden may be one barrier to widespread use of family satisfaction measures. ⋯ Variability in family satisfaction with advanced cancer care across hospital settings can be more sensitively detected using a brief 5-item questionnaire versus longer measures. The development of less lengthy and burdensome measures for monitoring family satisfaction, which are still valid, can facilitate routine assessments to maintain and promote high-quality care across care settings.
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Cardiologists need to decide which treatments are appropriate for seriously ill patients and whether they align with patient goals. Reconciling medical options with patients' wishes requires skilled communication. Although there is evidence that communication is teachable, few cardiologists receive formal training. ⋯ All learners improved in levels of PP in communication competencies. CardioTalk is the first described training program that prepares cardiologists for the challenges they face when having conversations with seriously ill patients.
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Methadone (ME) is commonly used in pain and palliative care (PPC) patients with refractory pain or intolerable opioid adverse effects (AEs). A unique ME AE is its corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation risk, but most evidence exists in methadone maintenance therapy patients. ⋯ Predictors of QTc prolongation in our multivariate conditional logistic regression model included CHF, PUD, hypokalemia, rheumatologic disorders, use of medications with a known TdP risk, malignancy, hypocalcemia, and ME doses >45 mg per day.