Opioid Management Review Committee: Fostering Interdisciplinary Education and Support Amid the Ongoing US Opioid Overdose Crisis.

BACKGROUND: Over the past two decades, pain and suffering caused by the U.S. opioid crisis have resulted in significant morbidity, policy reforms and healthcare resource strain, and affected healthcare providers' efforts to manage their patients' pain. In 2017, Cleveland Clinic's Department of Palliative and Supportive Care established their Opioid Management Review Committee (OMRC), which focuses on patient safety, opioid stewardship, education on specialist pain management and addiction medicine skills, and offers emotional and informational support to colleagues managing complex pain cases. OBJECTIVES: This quality assessment and improvement activity describes the organization and effects of the OMRC on healthcare workers in the department. METHODS: On February 1, 2023, an online survey was distributed to attendees of the OMRC. Participants were asked to provide their demographic information and free text responses to questions about the purpose of the OMRC, their judgment about the extent to which the OMRC has changed their approach to pain management, the OMRC's impact on their approach to opioid management, its impact on the clinicians' confidence in managing nonmedical opioid use or comorbid substance use, and suggestions to improve future meetings. RESULTS: Fifty-nine out of 79 clinicians completed the survey (75% response rate). Participants' aggregate responses indicated that the committee fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, provided emotional and professional support, increased awareness of responsible opioid prescribing, and enhanced confidence in managing complex cases involving non-medical opioid use or comorbid substance use. CONCLUSION: The OMRC represents a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to safely manage opioid therapy during the contemporary opioid overdose crisis.

Barriers Associated With Missed Palliative Care Telehealth Visits.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth in palliative care. While this technology showed efficiencies in healthcare delivery, it also unmasked inequalities affecting the socially disadvantaged. Objective: To identify factors associated with missed telehealth visits. Methods: We reviewed telehealth visits between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 at a palliative care clinic. Disease-related and demographic information were recorded, including residency in community outreach zones (COZ)-zip code clusters known for healthcare underutilization. We categorized patients with at least one missed visit as "any miss" (AM), and those with at least three scheduled visits and missed at least 50% as "pattern miss" (PM). Results: Of 1225 scheduled telehealth (i.e., audiovisual) visits, there were 802 completed, 52 missed initial and 371 missed follow-up encounters. Among 505 unique patients, 363 (72%) were receiving cancer treatment, 170 (34%) had multiple insurance, 87 (17%) lived in COZ, 101 (20%) were AM, and 27 (5%) were PM. Patients in COZ had significantly higher risk of PM vs those outside (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.06-5.78, P = .03). Patients with multiple insurance had significantly higher risk of PM vs those with single or no coverage (OR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1.40-6.93, P = .006). Patients on treatment had significantly higher risk of AM vs those not in treatment (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.05-3.06, P = .04). Conclusion: We identified living in areas with healthcare underutilization, active cancer treatment, and multiple insurance coverage as barriers to telehealth visits. Measures are necessary to attenuate disparities in accessing palliative care via telehealth.

Response Rates to Methylnaltrexone in Hospitalized Cancer Patients.

Context: Methylnaltrexone is a peripherally-acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist studied in both cancer and non-cancer patients with opioid-induced constipation (OIC), but mostly in the outpatient setting. For adult hospitalized cancer patients with OIC, its effectiveness is unknown. Objectives: Describe the efficacy of methylnaltrexone for OIC in the inpatient setting, defined as bowel movement (BM) within 24 hours of methylnaltrexone administration. Methods: We performed a single-center, retrospective chart review of all hospitalized, adult patients with a cancer diagnosis who received methylnaltrexone from the palliative care team between January 1st, 2012 and July 1st, 2019. Results: We identified 194 patients. The mean age was 59, 50.5% were male and 88% were white. 192 patients (98%) received the 8 mg dose subcutaneously. The median oral morphine equivalent (OME) was 135 mg (IQR 70-354 mg). 45% (95% confidence interval, 38-53%) had a BM within 24 hours. Higher OME was correlated with successful BM, with a response in 93% (86/92) of patients receiving ≥150 OME and 2% (2/102) of patients receiving <150 OME (P < .0001). Prior laxative use did not predict response at 24 hours whether these were osmotic laxatives (40.7% vs 47.1%, P = .52), stimulant laxatives (45.7% vs 45.2%, P > .99), or stool softeners (44.7% vs 46.1%, P = .89). Conclusion: Methylnaltrexone has a high response rate when used as treatment for OIC in hospitalized adult cancer patients, especially for patients taking ≥150 OME.

Characteristics of Patients with Cancer Readmitted Within 30 Days to an Acute Palliative Care Unit.

OBJECTIVE(S): For patients with cancer, the emergence of acute palliative care units (APCU) may hold promise in curtailing hospital readmissions. The study aims to describe the characteristics of patients readmitted to an APCU. METHODS: This retrospective study examined patients with cancer readmitted within 30 days to an APCU. Readmissions were further classified as either potentially preventable or non-preventable. RESULTS: Out of 734 discharges from July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2015, 69 (9%) readmissions were identified and analyzed. For index admissions, median length of stay was five days, and one (1%) was discharged home with hospice care. For readmissions, median time from index admission to readmission was nine days, median length of stay was six days, three (4%) patients died, and 20 (30%) went home with hospice. Ten (14.5%) readmissions were deemed potentially preventable (95% CI 7.2-25.0%). Race/ethnicity-White/Black/Hispanic/Others-was 60%, 10%, 20% and 10%, respectively, among potentially preventable readmissions and 76%, 22%, 2% and 0%, respectively, among potentially non-preventable readmissions (P = .012). Potentially preventable readmissions were more likely to have venous thromboembolism (40% vs. 12%, P = .046) and more reasons for readmission (median 2 vs. 1, P = .019). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with cancer readmitted to an APCU, one out of seven was potentially preventable and a far larger proportion was discharged with hospice care compared to the index admission. Recognition of disease course, meaningful goals of care discussions and timely transition to hospice care may reduce rehospitalization in this population.

Frequently asked questions about managing cancer pain: An update.

Most patients with cancer experience pain at some point in the disease course due to the disease itself or its treatment, or both. Pain management can involve pharmacologic (nonopioid medications, adjuvants, and opioids) and nonpharmacologic (radiation therapy, interventional procedures) therapies. This article provides a treatment approach to reduce pain for patients with cancer and improve their quality of life.

Pain or fatigue: which correlates more with suffering in hospitalized cancer patients?

BACKGROUND: The association of pain and suffering seems intuitive, but evidence substantiating this association is lacking. In studies of cancer patients, fatigue, rather than pain, is the most prevalent and debilitating symptom. This study aimed to compare the correlation of pain and fatigue to suffering, and identify other potential sources of suffering in cancer patients treated in a palliative care unit. METHODS: One hundred fifty cancer patients were surveyed. Fifteen variables were measured on a 0- to 10-point scale: suffering, pain, level of acceptable pain, effect of pain on quality of life, fatigue, level of acceptable fatigue, effect of fatigue on quality of life, and specific types of suffering. Univariable associations with suffering were made with Pearson correlation (continuous variables) or t test (binary predictors). Multivariable associations with suffering were assessed with linear regression analysis and bootstrapping. RESULTS: In multivariable analysis, highest pain (parameter estimate 0.38) had a greater impact on suffering than highest fatigue (parameter estimate 0.21). When other variables were assessed, 38% of the variability in suffering was accounted for by pain "now", fatigue in the past 24 hours, and age. CONCLUSION: The most important predictors of greater suffering in hospitalized cancer patients are pain, younger age, and fatigue. Despite their significant effect on suffering, other underlying contributors to suffering have yet to be identified. Designing interventions to reduce fatigue, in addition to pain management, may help in alleviating overall suffering.

"If You Call Them, They Will Come": A Telephone Call Reminder to Decrease the No-Show Rate in an Outpatient Palliative Medicine Clinic.

INTRODUCTION: A high outpatient clinic no-show rate affects clinical outcomes, increases healthcare costs, and reduces both access to care and provider productivity. In an effort to reduce the no-show rate at a busy palliative medicine outpatient clinic, a quality improvement project was launched consisting of a telephone call made by clinic staff prior to appointments. The study aimed to determine the effect of this intervention on the no-show rate, and assess the financial impact of a decreased no-show rate. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The outpatient clinic no-show rate was measured from September 1 to December 31, 2015. Data from the first 8 months of the calendar year was removed since these could not be verified. Starting January 1, 2016, patients received a telephone call reminder 24 hours prior to their scheduled outpatient appointment for confirmation. No-show rate was again measured for the calendar year 2016. Opportunity costs were calculated for unfulfilled clinic visits. RESULTS: Of the 1224 completed visits from September 1 to December 31, 2015, 271 were no-shows with an average rate of 11.8%. After the intervention, there were 4368 completed visits and 562 no-shows. The no-show rate for 2016 averaged 6.9% (p < 0.001), down 4.9% from the last 4 months of 2015. Estimated opportunity costs were about 396 no-show visits avoided, equivalent to an annual savings of about $79,200. CONCLUSION: A telephone call reminder to patients 24 hours prior to their appointment decreased the no-show rate in an outpatient palliative medicine clinic. Avoiding unfulfilled visits resulted in substantial opportunity costs.

Palliative Spine Surgery in a Patient with Advanced Cancer: A Case Report and Decision-Making Guide.

The spine is a frequent site of cancer metastasis leading to intractable pain, functional impairment, and poor quality of life. When analgesic regimens and nonpharmacological interventions fail, spine surgery may be indicated. For patients with advanced disease, the decision to operate can become a dilemma. A patient with colon cancer metastatic to his spine, who had undergone multiple procedures for back pain, was admitted to a palliative care unit, where pain persisted despite high-dose opioids and adjuvant analgesics. Owing to progressive disease, he was told of a prognosis of six months by his oncologist. He eventually underwent percutaneous pedicle screw fixation. Shortly after surgery, he settled on a regimen merely equivalent to 45 mg of morphine per day. The article explores the role of palliative spine surgery in managing intractable cancer-related back pain. The authors offer a guide when considering surgical procedures for patients with limited prognosis.

Outcomes of Music Therapy Interventions on Symptom Management in Palliative Medicine Patients.

PURPOSE: Evidence has demonstrated the positive effects of music therapy on symptom management for palliative medicine patients. Previous studies have addressed patient needs, with limited discussion involving the relationship between interventions utilized to improve symptoms. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of music therapy sessions; identify common music therapy goals and interventions and assess their effect; and investigate the effects of gender, age, and type of cancer on symptoms in patients who experienced music therapy. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of data collected during music therapy sessions. Patients scored their symptoms (pain, anxiety, depression, shortness of breath, and mood) before and after sessions. Data collected from over 1500 patients included symptom evaluation, goals, interventions, music used, patient/family reactions, and narratives. RESULTS: Among 293 patients who met all study inclusion criteria, significant improvement in pain, anxiety, depression, shortness of breath, mood, facial expression, and vocalization scores was noted. In addition, 96% of patients had positive responses to participating in music therapy. Vocal and emotional were the 2 most effective interventions in improving symptoms. All 5 patient-reported symptoms improved when the therapist focused on these symptoms as goals. Age, gender, and diagnosis had no impact on symptom improvement. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the importance of music therapy for addressing symptoms and behaviors of palliative medicine patients. Statistically and clinically significant effects were noted. The most effective interventions were identified. More research needs to be conducted to better understand the benefits of music therapy for palliative medicine patients.

NCCN Guidelines Insights: Antiemesis, Version 2.2017.

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Antiemesis address all aspects of management for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. These NCCN Guidelines Insights focus on recent updates to the NCCN Guidelines for Antiemesis, specifically those regarding carboplatin, granisetron, and olanzapine.

Perceptions of family members of palliative medicine and hospice patients who experienced music therapy.

PURPOSE: Evidence shows that music therapy aids in symptom management and improves quality of life for palliative medicine and hospice patients. The majority of previous studies have addressed patient needs, while only a few addressed the needs of family members. The primary purpose of this study was to understand family members' perceptions of music therapy experienced by a relative in palliative medicine or hospice. Patient self-reported scales and music therapist assessment of change were also investigated. METHODS: Patients scored their symptoms (pain, anxiety, depression, shortness of breath, and mood) before and after music therapy sessions. One family member present during the session assessed perceived effect on the patient's pain, anxiety, depression, shortness of breath, stress level, restlessness, comfort level, mood, and quality of life. The effect on family member's stress level, quality of life, and mood and helpfulness of the music therapy session for the patient and self were studied. Recommendations about future patient participation in music therapy and qualitative comments were also solicited. RESULTS: Fifty family member/patient dyads participated in the study. Family member perceptions were positive, with 82% of responders indicating improvement for self and patient in stress, mood, and quality of life; 80% rating the session as extremely helpful; and 100% of 49 recommending further music therapy sessions for the patient. Patients reported statistically significant improvement in pain, depression, distress, and mood scores. CONCLUSIONS: Family members of patients in palliative medicine and hospice settings reported an immediate positive impact of music therapy on the patient and on themselves. More research needs to be conducted to better understand the benefits of music therapy for family members.

Single-Dose Fluconazole Therapy for Oral Thrush in Hospice and Palliative Medicine Patients.

BACKGROUND: Oral thrush is a common fungal infection of the mouth experienced by palliative medicine and hospice patients who have advanced cancer. Individuals often experience distressing symptoms that affect their oral intake with most regimens adding to pill burden. This is an open-label prospective observational study to assess the efficacy of a single-dose fluconazole 150 mg for oral thrush. METHODS: Palliative medicine and hospice patients with a clinical diagnosis of oral thrush, a life expectancy of more than 1 week, and were able to swallow were enrolled. Signs and symptoms were evaluated on day 1 prior to administration of 150 mg of fluconazole and between days 3 to 5 after treatment. RESULTS: Of 57 patients, 55 (96.5%) had more than 50% improvement in signs and symptoms. Both the number and severity of symptoms changed significantly posttreatment ( P < .001). Side effects were few. CONCLUSION: Single-dose fluconazole 150 mg is an effective treatment of oral thrush for individuals with advanced cancer.

Hope, Symptoms, and Palliative Care.

BACKGROUND: Hope is important to patients with cancer. Identifying factors that influence hope is important. Anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain are reported to impair hope. The objective of this study was to determine whether age, gender, marital status, duration of cancer, symptoms, or symptom burden measured by the sum of severity scores on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) correlated with hope measured by the Herth Hope Index (HHI). METHODS: Patients with advanced cancer in a palliative care unit participated. Demographics including age, gender, marital status, cancer site, and duration of cancer were collected. Individuals completed the ESAS and HHI. Spearman correlation and linear regression were used to assess associations adjusting for gender (male vs female), age (< 65 vs ≥ 65 years), marital status (married or living with a partner vs other), and duration of cancer (≤ 12 vs > 12 months). RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-seven were participated in the study, of which 55% were female with a mean age of 61 years (standard deviation 11). Hope was not associated with gender, age, marital status, or duration of cancer. In univariable analysis, hope inversely correlated with ESAS score (-0.28), lack of appetite (-0.22), shortness of breath (-0.17), depression (-0.39), anxiety (-0.32), and lack of well-being (-0.33); only depression was clinically relevant. In multivariable analysis, total symptom burden weakly correlated with hope; only depression remained clinically significant. DISCUSSION: This study found correlation between symptom burden and hope was not clinically relevant but was so for depression. CONCLUSION: Among 9 ESAS symptoms, only depression had a clinically relevant correlation with hope.

Reducing Unplanned Medical Oncology Readmissions by Improving Outpatient Care Transitions: A Process Improvement Project at the Cleveland Clinic.

PURPOSE: Reducing 30-day unplanned hospital readmissions is a national policy priority. We examined the impact of a quality improvement project focused on reducing oncology readmissions among patients with cancer who were admitted to palliative and general medical oncology services at the Cleveland Clinic. METHODS: Baseline rates of readmissions were gathered during the period from January 2013 to April 2014. A quality improvement project designed to improve outpatient care transitions was initiated during the period leading to April 1, 2014, including: (1) provider education, (2) postdischarge nursing phone calls within 48 hours, and (3) postdischarge provider follow-up appointments within 5 business days. Nursing callback components included symptom management, education, medication review/compliance, and follow-up appointment reminder. RESULTS: During the baseline period, there were 2,638 admissions and 722 unplanned 30-day readmissions for an overall readmission rate of 27.4%. Callbacks and 5-day follow-up appointment monitoring revealed a mean monthly compliance of 72% and 78%, respectively, improving over time during the study period. Readmission rates declined by 4.5% to 22.9% (P < .01; relative risk reduction, 18%) during the study period. The mean direct cost of one readmission was $10,884, suggesting an annualized cost savings of $1.04 million with the observed reduction in unplanned readmissions. CONCLUSION: Modest readmission reductions can be achieved through better systematic transitions to outpatient care (including follow-up calls and early provider visits), thereby leading to a reduction in use of inpatient resources. These data suggest that efforts focused on improving outpatient care transition were effective in reducing unplanned oncology readmissions.

Insomnia in patients with advanced cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Insomnia is underrecognized in patients with cancer. By identifying clinical correlations and predisposing factors of insomnia, interventions may be initiated to treat insomnia. METHODS: Consecutive patients referred to palliative medicine services were screened with a single question. Patients answering affirmatively completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Patients were screened for depression, fatigue, and pain. Spearman correlation was performed for associations. RESULTS: Of 715 consecutive patients, 102 had sleep problems and 64 had clinical insomnia by the ISI criteria. Insomnia correlated with depression (r = .32), pain (r = .29), and tiredness (r = .40) but not with age or precipitating factors. DISCUSSION: Insomnia severity moderately correlates with depression, pain, and tiredness. We found no association of insomnia severity with age or medications. CONCLUSION: Insomnia, pain, depression, and tiredness are a symptom cluster.

Nausea and vomiting in advanced cancer: the Cleveland Clinic protocol.

Nausea and vomiting are common and distressing symptoms in advanced cancer. Both are multifactorial and cause significant morbidity, nutritional failure, and reduced quality of life. Assessment includes a detailed history, physical examination and investigations for reversible causes. Assessment and management will be influenced by performance status, prognosis, and goals of care. Several drug classes are effective with some having the added benefit of multiple routes of administration. It is our institution's practice to recommend metoclopramide as the first drug with haloperidol as an alternative antiemetic. Dexamethasone should be used for patients with central nervous system metastases or bowel obstruction. If your patient is near death, empiric metoclopramide, haloperidol or chlorpromazine is used without further investigation. For patients with a better prognosis, we exclude reversible causes and use the same first-line antiemetics, metoclopramide and haloperidol. For those who do not respond to first-line single antiemetics, olanzapine is second line and ondansetron is third. Rarely do we use combination therapy or cannabinoids. Olanzapine as a single agent has a distinct advantage over antiemetic combinations. It improves compliance, reduces drug interactions and has several routes of administration. Antiemetics, anticholinergics, octreotide and dexamethasone are used in combination to treat bowel obstruction. In opiod-na'ive patients, we prefer haloperidol, glycopyrrolate and an opioid as the first-line treatment and add or substitute octreotide and dexamethasone in those who do not respond. Non-pharmacologic interventions (mechanical stents and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes) are used when nausea is refractory to medical management or for home-going management to relieve symptoms, reduce drug costs and rehospitalization.

Four-item fatigue screen: replacing the Brief Fatigue Index.

INTRODUCTION: To develop a shorter and less burdensome cancer-related fatigue (CRF) questionnaire, the Four-Item Fatigue Scale (FIFS) was tested for validity against the Brief Fatigue Index (BFI). METHODS: On day 1, patients with cancer completed the BFI and FIFS in a random order and the reverse on day 7. Sixty-five patients were needed for an 80% power and a Spearman correlation of .7 or greater. The FIFS was compared with the BFI in fatigue severity and changes in fatigue over time. Bonferroni corrections were made for multiple comparisons with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) fatigue criteria. RESULTS: Seventy-nine patients were enrolled, 65 patients completed both surveys. Spearman correlation between FIFS and BFI for day 1 was 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50-0.87) and 0.73 (95% CI 0.56-0.90) 1 week later. Fatigue severity did not predict survival with either questionnaire. Brief Fatigue Index severity correlated with ICD-10 items 1, 3, 7, and 10B. Regression analysis showed that on day 7 BFI correlated with ICD-10 items 1, 7, and 10. When the model was adjusted for day 1, only the ICD-10 item 5 correlated well in BFI over 1 week. The ICD-10 items 7 and 10 significantly correlated with day 1 FIFS fatigue changes over 7 days after adjustment for FIFS baseline score. CONCLUSIONS: Four-Item Fatigue Scale has concurrent validity for fatigue using the BFI. The FIFS and BFI correlated modestly over time. Certain ICD-10 items correlated with CRF severity depending on the questionnaire.

Considering symptomatic spinal epidural lipomatosis in the differential diagnosis.

Spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) is the abnormal accumulation of normal fat within the spinal canal. It is more frequent in those patients receiving chronic glucocorticoid therapy or in cases of endogenous hypercortisolism states. We report a case of SEL in a patient with metastatic prostate cancer with history of steroid treatment as part of his chemotherapy regimen, presenting with clinical manifestations of partial cord compression. Magnetic resonance imaging images of the lumbar spine revealed the presence of epidural tumor suspicious for metastatic disease. Operative findings were consistent with epidural lipomatosis. Spinal epidural lipomatosis is a rare condition that needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with risk factors, presenting with symptomatic cord compression.

A pilot study of palliative medicine fellows' hospice home visits.

This was a prospective descriptive study of hospice physician home visits (HVs) conducted by Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellows. Our objectives were 1) to improve our knowledge of hospice care at home by describing physician HVs 2) to identify the indications for physician HVs and the problems addressed during the HV. Data was collected on 58 consecutive patients using a standardized form completed before and after the home visit. More than half of the persons were women. Most were Caucasian. Median age was 75 years; 57% had cancer; 77% were do-not-resuscitate. 76% HV occurred in the home. The median visit duration was 60 minutes; median travel distance and time 25 miles and 42 minutes, respectively. A hospice nurse case manager was present in 95%. The most common issues addressed during HVs were: health education, symptom management, and psychosocial support. Medication review was prominent. Physicians identified previously unreported issues. Symptom control was usually pain, although 27 symptoms were identified. Medications were important; all home visits included drug review and two thirds drug change. Physicians had unique responsibilities and identified important issues in the HV. Physicians provided both education and symptom management. Physician HVs are an important intervention. HVs were important in continuity of care, however, time-consuming, and incurred considerable travel, and professional time and costs.