Nursing strategies to improve alert closure for remote symptom monitoring.

Authors

null

Megan Patterson

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

Megan Patterson, Nicole E. Caston, Jeffrey Franks, D'Ambra Dent, Stacey A. Ingram, Keyonsis Hildreth, Fallon Lalor, Andres Azuero, Jennifer Young Pierce, Chelsea L. McGowen, Courtney J. Andrews, Chao-Hui Huang, James Nicholas Dionne-Odom, Bradford E. Jackson, Bryan J Weiner, Ethan Basch, Angela M. Stover, Doris Howell, Gabrielle Betty Rocque

Organizations

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, Strayer University, Washington, DC, Medical University of South Carolina, Mount Pleasant, SC, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, JPS Health Network, Fort Worth, TX, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Research Funding

U.S. National Institutes of Health
U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Background: For successful remote symptom monitoring using patient-reported outcomes, nurses should respond to alerts in a timely fashion. Where clinical trials utilized research staff for alert management, the shift to standard-of-care delivery necessitates that this responsibility be added as a task to an already strained nursing workforce. Little is known about strategies to engage nurses to improve timeliness of alert management. Methods: In this quality improvement initiative, we aimed to improve timeliness of alert closures generated by moderate or severe symptoms within a remote symptom monitoring program. Optimal closure was defined as < 48 hours, which was consistent with institutional requirements for response to patient phone calls. A continuous quality improvement approach, with multiple Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycles was conducted. Data was captured from the electronic medical record and PRO platform (Carevive). Descriptive statistics included frequencies and percentages. The proportion of alerts closed each month < 48 hours, 48-72 hours, 3-7 days, and > 7 days were reported overall and by disease team (i.e., major cancer types). Surveys not closed were considered > 7 days. The timing of strategies to improve nursing engagement were documented and evaluated for impact on alert closure. Results: From June 1, 2021-May 31, 2022, 1121 moderate or severe alerts were generated from 234 patients. Disease teams had variable remote symptom monitoring start dates: breast, leukemia, and limited gynecologic (prior to 6/2021); myeloma and gastrointestinal (7/2021); genitourinary (10/2021); head and neck (12/2021); melanoma (2/2022); and Lymphoma (4/2022). In 6/2021, the overall alert closure at < 48 hours, 48-72 hours, 3-7 days, and > 7 days was 57%, 4%, 14%, and 25% respectively (n = 28). To improve alert closures, several key strategies were deployed to improve alert closure times including disease-specific reporting and meetings with nursing leadership (10/2021); identification of a nurse champion, creation of “cheat sheets” to remind nurses how to close alerts, and individualized calls with nurses with open alerts (1/2022), and inclusions of requirement to close alerts in nursing newsletters (2/2022). Overall, alert closure less than 48 hours improved to 61% by 12/2021 (n = 97) and to 69% by 5/2022 (n = 167). Disease group alert closure varied, with higher closure more commonly in teams with greater duration of use, such as breast cancer team with an alert closure of 85% < 48 hours in May 2022. Conclusions: Key nursing engagement strategies improve alert closure for remote symptom monitoring programs implemented in real-world settings.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B

Track

Palliative and Supportive Care,Technology and Innovation in Quality of Care,Quality, Safety, and Implementation Science

Sub Track

Tools for Management of Treatment and Adverse Effects

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 28; abstr 421)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.28_suppl.421

Abstract #

421

Poster Bd #

F24

Abstract Disclosures

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