ECHO palliative care in Africa (ECHO-PACA): Improving access to quality palliative care.

Authors

null

Sriram Yennu

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Sriram Yennu , Charles E Amos Jr , John Weru , Edwina Beryl Victoria Naa Deedei Addo , Joseph Anthony Arthur , Olaitan Soyannwo , Runcie C.W. Chidebe , Eduardo Bruera , Suresh Reddy

Organizations

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya, Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana, University College Hospital, Ibadan, NG, Project PINK BLUE, Abuja, Nigeria, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bellaire, TX

Research Funding

Other

Background: There is limited access to quality Palliative Care (PC) for advanced cancer patients being treated in Sub Saharan Africa due to limited PC knowledge among health care providers in the region. The goal of this innovative project was to improve access by offering cost-effective training to these providers using Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), an established telementoring and support program.Our aim was to evaluate feasibility, attitudes, knowledge, and efficacy of participants of ECHO-PACA to deliver PC. Methods: An interdisciplinary team at the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, guided by PC providers in Sub Saharan Africa, developed a standardized curriculum based on PC needs in the region. Participants were then recruited and monthly telementoring sessions consisting of case presentations, discussions, and didactic lectures began in July 2016. Program participants included 14 clinics and teaching hospitals from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia, with sessions offering participants the ability to interact and learn new skills in PC. Participants were surveyed at the beginning, mid-point and end of the 16 month program to evaluate changes in self-perceived efficacy in pain assessment and management, Identification of signs/symptoms of imminent death, Identifying and addressing challenging communication issues related to end of life. Results: Median participation per session was 30. Median duration of monthly meetings was 90 minutes. 33 of 40 initial participants (83%) completed the survey. There was significant improvement in appropriate use of non-opioid analgesics for persistent pain (p = .03), titrating opioids to optimize pain control (p = .03), Identification of signs/symptoms of imminent death (p = .05), and Identifying and addressing challenging communication issues related to end of life (p = .02). Conclusions: ECHO-PACA was a feasible, cost effective, pragmatic approach to disseminate PC knowledge without the need for travel, which has the potential to increase access to quality PC through enhancing the skills of providers in resource challenged areas of Sub Saharan Africa. Further studies are needed to evaluate ECHO-PACA impact on patient outcomes.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2018 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Health Services Research, Clinical Informatics, and Quality of Care

Track

Quality Care/Health Services Research

Sub Track

Care Delivery/Models of Care

Citation

J Clin Oncol 36, 2018 (suppl; abstr 6545)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2018.36.15_suppl.6545

Abstract #

6545

Poster Bd #

371

Abstract Disclosures