Use of the Distress Thermometer to discern clinically relevant quality of life differences in women with breast cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of Distress Thermometer (DT) scores to discern important differences in quality of life scores among women with breast cancer.

Methods: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network's DT, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), and a demographic questionnaire were completed by 111 women recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Results: Patients considered moderately to severely distressed (score ≥ 4 on DT) scored significantly lower on FACT-B QOL scales and subscales when compared to those in the group scoring 3 or below.

Development of a telehealth intervention for head and neck cancer patients.

Treatment for head and neck cancer precipitates a myriad of distressing symptoms. Patients may be isolated both physically and socially and may lack the self-efficacy to report problems and participate as partners in their care. The goal of this project was to design a telehealth intervention to address such isolation, develop patient self-efficacy, and improve symptom management during the treatment experience.

Initiating and sustaining a standardized pain management program in long-term care facilities.

Objectives: To identify current pain management practices in the long-term care setting; and, implement and evaluate a comprehensive pain management program in the long-term care setting.

Design: An interventional pilot study.

Setting: Community-based long-term care facilities.

Meeting American Council of Graduate Medical Education guidelines for a palliative medicine fellowship through diverse community partnerships.

Background: The field of hospice and palliative medicine has grown to include more than 50 fellowship training programs. In 2007 hospice and palliative medicine received American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) recognition as a subspecialty of medicine. Palliative medicine fellowships will begin formal accreditation under the American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in 2008.

The Caring Connections Project: Providing palliative care to Medicaid patients with advanced cancer.

Palliative care, with its focus on symptom management, patient-centered goals, preparation for life's end, and preservation of quality of life in the face of advancing illness, is a rapidly advancing component of mainstream American medicine. Yet, access to palliative care is often lacking in the community setting and may be further hindered by the presence of healthcare disparities that impact the poor. This article presents a unique approach to assuring the availability of palliative care to Medicaid patients receiving case management services.

Kentucky's palliative care report card.

Last Acts released the first nationwide evaluation of palliative care services in November 2002. Each state was evaluated or "graded" on the following eight measures: advance care planning policies, location of death, hospice use, hospital end-of-life care services, care in ICUs at the end of life, pain among nursing home residents, state pain policies, and palliative care certified physicians and nurses. Kentucky scored well on state pain policies and number of nurses certified in palliative care but received low grades for hospital services and the number of patient deaths occurring in the home.