Challenges in Implementing Guideline on Integrative Oncology and Pain: The Israeli Perspective.

Context And Objectives: To explore the feasibility of implementing the joint guideline on integrative medicine for pain management in oncology, published by the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), for integrative oncology (IO) services in supportive and palliative care.

Methods: A qualitative research methodology was co-designed by the SIO-ASCO guideline committee, with the Society for Complementary Medicine, Israel Medical Association (IMA). A questionnaire with five open-ended questions exploring barriers and enablers to implementing the guideline was distributed to chairs and board members of nine IMA-affiliated medical societies; four deans of Israeli medical schools; and nurses from the Israeli Society for Oncology Nursing.

[PALLIATIVE SOCIAL WORK IN ISRAEL - CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES].

Israel, a young country that constantly absorbs immigrants from different cultures, has a unique social structure. The mosaic of culture and values that exist in it, the delicate balance that exists between religion and state, advanced legislative processes, the central place of the family in individual life, combined with the principles of autonomy in which the health system operates, require deliberate action to formulate solutions and meet current challenges. In this unique space the contribution of the palliative social workers is reflected through the application of models for individual and family assessment, clinical interventions implemented with cultural sensitivity and out of consideration for the family unit as an essential system for treatment planning.

[PALLIATIVE / SUPPORTIVE CARE FOR CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD) PATIENTS].

Patients with advanced/chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 face a high burden of comorbidity, physical and mental symptoms, and impaired quality of life (QOL). Dialysis, which has become a treatment of choice, cannot supply an optimal replacement of the kidney function. Old and fragile dialysis patients with multiple comorbidities often need expensive medical treatments, repeated hospitalizations, and their life expectancy is not longer than those who have chosen not to use dialysis.

[ONCOLOGISTS' APPROACHES AND BARRIERS FOR DISCUSSING ADVANCED CARE PLANNING WITH SEVERELY ILL CANCER PATIENTS].

Background: Earlier goals of care (GOC) discussions in patients with advanced cancer are associated with less aggressive end-of-life (EOL) care and with better quality of life near death. Despite that, these discussions do not always occur between oncologists and their patients.

Objectives: To evaluate oncologists' agendas concerning EOL discussions and advanced directive (AD), and to identify barriers to these discussions.

[AN INSTRUMENT TO ASSESS HOSPITAL NURSES' PERCEIVED SELF-EFFICACY IN PROVIDING PALLIATIVE END-OF-LIFE CARE: A VALIDATION STUDY].

Background: The trend of increasing numbers of terminally ill patients hospitalized in general wards requires nursing staff to be able to provide palliative care (PC). The self-efficacy (SE) to provide PC was found to be a leading factor predicting future professional behavior. There is no tool in the Hebrew language to evaluate SE for symptoms management and provision of psychosocial care within the PC.

[CHEMOTHERAPY FOR CANCER PATIENTS - ARE WE CHOOSING WISELY?].

Introduction: The American Society of Clinical Oncology has identified non-evidence-based chemotherapy as one of the 10 most prevalent examples of futile care and has identified chemotherapy at the last month of life as a quality indicator of oncology practice.

Objectives: To characterize chemotherapy treatment and the use of palliative and other healthcare services during the last year of life among cancer patients in an Israeli Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of members of Leumit Health Services (LHS) who died of cancer between 2009 and 2013.

Supporting cancer patients and their carers: the contribution of art therapy and clinical psychology.

The value of various types of psychosocial support for people with cancer is now becoming well established. Typically the term 'psychosocial' includes: counselling and psychotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, education and information, and social support. The research literature sometimes fails to clarify the exact nature of the different approaches and their relative efficacy.

Supporting cancer patients and their carers: the contribution of art therapy and clinical psychology.

The value of various types of psychosocial support for people with cancer is now becoming well established. Typically the term 'psychosocial' includes: counselling and psychotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, education and information, and social support. The research literature sometimes fails to clarify the exact nature of the different approaches and their relative efficacy.