Using Whole-Person-Care Guide in Patients Receiving Care for Cancer or Complications From Cancer Treatment

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Radiation Toxicity; Malnutrition; Musculoskeletal Complications; Neutropenia; Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific; Chemotherapeutic Agent Toxicity; Infection; Thrombocytopenia

• Registration Number: NCT00608738
• Lead Sponsor: Northwestern University

Brief Summary

RATIONALE: Gathering information about patients with cancer and cancer-related conditions may help doctors learn more about a patient's needs and help doctors plan the best treatment.

PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well a whole-person-care guide works in identifying patient needs in patients with cancer or complications from cancer treatment.

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

* To determine what patient needs are detected from NEST13+ interviews of cancer patients and their caregivers.

* To determine the concordance among patient, caregiver, and team goals.

* To determine palliative care services provided.

OUTLINE: Participants are assigned sequentially to 1 of 2 intervention groups.

* Group 1 (NEST13+): Patients and caregivers undergo NEST13+ interviews at the time of admission to Northwestern Memorial Hospital (caregivers answer the NEST13+ interviews from the patient's perspective). A NEST13+ care plan is then derived from both patient and caregiver responses. Research MD or RN presents patient's NEST13+ findings and recommended interventions for integration with actual care. On the day of discharge, patients and caregivers undergo a second NEST13+ interview.

* Group 2 (control): Patients and caregivers undergo a sham interview at the time of admission to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. On the day of discharge, patients and caregivers undergo a NEST13+ interview as in group 1.

Medical charts for all patients are reviewed by a member of the research staff to document needs assessments in domains covered by NEST and to document palliative care-related decisions. Abstracted chart review by blinded experts is also performed to evaluate palliative care quality based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 500 patients and 250 caregivers will be accrued for this study.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2001-07
• Primary Completion: 2005-01
• Study Completion: 2005-01
• Study First Submitted: 2008-02-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2008-02-05
• Study First Posted: 2008-02-06
• Status Verified: 2012-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2012-07-09
• Last Update Posted: 2012-07-10

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 750

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of palliative care services provided
Patient needs detected
Concordance among patient, caregiver, and team goals