Goals of care designations in advanced pancreatic cancer patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy.

Authors

null

Matthew Anaka

University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Matthew Anaka , Minji Lee , Elisa Lim , Sunita Ghosh , Winson Y. Cheung , Jennifer L. Spratlin

Organizations

University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, Cross Cancer Institute/University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Research Funding

No funding received
None

Background: Discussion of goals of care (GoC) is a key part of quality care for patients with palliative cancer. Numerous studies have shown that documentation of GoC in this population remains low. In 2014, Alberta Health Services launched a health-system wide initiative to provide patients with physical copies of their GoC designation intended to be available at all health-system interactions. Here we describe rates of GoC documentation in the period surrounding this initiative. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort analysis of 240 patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer treated with palliative chemotherapy from 2012-2015 in Alberta, Canada. Data were obtained from outpatient electronic medical record documentation and the provincial cancer registry. Results: 63.8% (153/240) of patients had a documented GoC discussion, with 60.4% (145/240) receiving a specific GoC designation. 59.6% (143/240) of patients were referred to palliative care, with 32.5% (78/240) seen by palliative care physician. Of 334 individual GoC discussions documented, 38.6% (129/334) were by medical oncologists, 2.3% (10/334) were by radiation oncologists, 27.2% (91/334) were by palliative care, and 19.2% (64/334) were by other inpatient physicians during hospital admissions. At least 9.6% (32/334) referenced discussions that occurred prior to initial consultation with an oncology physician. Conclusions: The majority of pancreatic cancer patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy had a documented GoC designation during the study period. Providing patients with physical copies of their GoC designation may therefore represent a simple but effective means of increasing GoC documentation in the outpatient oncology setting.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2020 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B: Hepatobiliary Cancer, Neuroendocrine/Carcinoid, Pancreatic Cancer, and Small Bowel Cancer

Track

Hepatobiliary Cancer,Neuroendocrine/Carcinoid,Pancreatic Cancer,Small Bowel Cancer,Other GI Cancer

Sub Track

Quality of Care/Quality Improvement

Citation

J Clin Oncol 38, 2020 (suppl 4; abstr 683)

Abstract #

683

Poster Bd #

J14

Abstract Disclosures