Initial Experiences With Integration of Palliative Medicine and Specialist Pain Services in a Tertiary Cancer Care Center in India.

Pain management constitutes a pivotal aspect of palliative care. Certain instances of distressing pain are significantly relieved through interventional pain methodologies, demanding the expertise of pain specialists. Our perspective revolves around the integration of these 2 facets, envisaging a symbiotic relationship that could enhance patient outcomes. A prospective assessment was carried out within a collaborative clinic, uniting the realms of pain management and palliative medicine. Anonymized patient information was scrutinized to grasp the advantages of this amalgamation and identify strategies to address any inherent deficiencies. Furthermore, an illustrative case study was delineated, spotlighting the collaborative dynamics at a systemic level. During the period spanning from November 2020 to June 2021, a total of 43 patients received consultations at this collaborative clinic. Each patient was exposed to a comprehensive pain management regimen, with the most frequently conducted procedure being an intercostal nerve block, which was administered in 9.30% of cases. For the provision of effective pain relief within the palliative care context, the confluence of joint consultations from cancer pain specialists emerges as a requisite measure. This approach carries the promise of optimizing pain control and augmenting the quality of palliative care.

Exploration and practice of physician-pharmacist joint clinic service / 中华医院管理杂志

In order to expand the breadth and depth of pharmaceutical services, in March 2022, a tertiary hospital opened a physician-pharmacist joint clinic based on clinical specialty clinics. The hospital formulated a fixed outpatient scheduling system, clarified service targets, established outpatient treatment processes and quality management systems, and standardized pharmacist communication models, to provide patients with " one-stop" standardized pharmaceutical services. As of December 2022, the pharmaceutical joint outpatient service had opened more than 100 consultations and served 1 709 patients. This practice provided reference for promoting the high-quality development of pharmaceutical services in medical institutions in China.

Practice and exploration of physician-pharmacist joint outpatient service mode of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma / 药学实践与服务

Objective To explore the physician-pharmacist joint outpatient service mode of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) and asthma. Methods Cases of COPD or asthma patients who visited the joint outpatient department from June 2021 to December 2021 were collected in our hospital, the inhaler usage score，compliance ( MMAS-8) score，clinical control efficacy，incidence of adverse reactions and patient satisfaction were evaluated before and after pharmaceutical care intervention and statistically analyzed．Results The inhaler usage score，MMAS-8 score，and the Asthma Control Test（ACT）/COPD Assessment Test（CAT） score had been changed significantly after the intervention (P<0.05). Patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical care was basically above 94.75%．Conclusion Pharmaceutical care provided by joint outpatient department in our hospital could help COPD and asthma patients to use inhaler device correctly，resulting in improving compliance of inhaler usage, better disease control，and reducing the occurrence of adverse drug reactions, which could be a positive attempt and exploration of standardized pharmaceutical care model for patients with COPD and asthma．

Outcomes of a multidisciplinary transition clinic for youth with type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Emerging adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have several challenges regarding diabetes management and care transition from pediatric to adult services. In this study we aimed to assess the effectiveness of the newly established transition clinic for emerging adults with T1D. METHODS: We conducted an observational study of emerging adults with T1D treated in a transition clinic jointly operated by a pediatric and adult multidisciplinary care team during 2019-2021. A retrospective chart review of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), frequency of clinic attendance, acute diabetes-related complications, assessment of gaps in knowledge and behavior, and psychosocial outcomes was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients with T1D were included. Median age at the transfer to the transition clinic was 24 years (range 21-34). Fifteen patients (71%) were successfully transferred to adult services; mean duration of follow-up at the transition clinic was 9.2 months (SD 3.9). None of the patients was lost to follow-up or experienced serious diabetes related complications. Mean (95% confidence interval) HbA1c levels decreased from 8.97% (7.87-10.07) at baseline to 8.25% (7.45-9.05) at the most recent visit (p = 0.01). A proportion of patients achieving the glycemic target (HbA1c < 7.5%) was increased from 24% at the first visit to 38% at the most recent visits. Patients' HbA1c levels at the adult clinic continued a favorable trend. Seven patients (33%) were identified as having symptoms of depression. Knowledge and behavioral gaps were identified and counselled by clinical care team. CONCLUSION: The multidisciplinary transition clinic has shown to be beneficial in terms of improving glycemic control, maintaining continuity of care and clinic attendance.

Transitional Care for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Japanese Experience.

BACKGROUND: Transition-related healthcare intervention has recently been receiving worldwide attention. Given the increasing incidence of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its lifelong impact, transitional care has become an important issue. In Japan, guidelines to support the autonomy of IBD patients during transition were recently published. SUMMARY: Here, we review current issues regarding care for IBD patients during transition from the pediatric to adult period in order to identify the barriers and key elements for successful transition in the context of the Japanese system. Although no single optimal model of transitional care exists, crucial elements identified so far include a joint pediatric/adult clinic or alternating visits between pediatric and adult healthcare providers, a multidisciplinary approach, and good coordination among stakeholders. Self-reliance and independence of patients with childhood-onset IBD are also considered essential for successful transition. Various tools for assessment of transition readiness have been validated and are considered useful. Better outcomes are expected for individually tailored transition, including improvements in medication adherence, perceived health status, quality of life, and self-management. The timing of transfer from a pediatric to an adult gastroenterologist should not be fixed because the issue is not chronological age but rather the degree of individual maturity. We also propose a standardized medical summary with a checklist template for official referral of patients from a pediatric to an adult gastroenterologist. Key Messages: Transition programs require a multidisciplinary approach with a coordinator (IBD nurse) and optimal collaboration and communication. Lack of resources and funding are also pertinent issues.

Shared Decision-Making for Patients with Advanced Urological Malignancies: Evaluation of a Joint Urological-Oncological Clinic Model.

BACKGROUND: To provide rapid evaluation of patients with advanced urological malignancies, a joint urological-oncological clinic was initiated at our institution in January 2015. We present the first 3-year evaluation of this joint urological-oncological clinic in Switzerland. METHOD: We performed a retrospective analysis of the characteristics and treatment of all patients reviewed at the joint clinic between January 2015 and December 2017. Statistical analysis was performed by survival analysis. A patient satisfaction questionnaire was handed out to new patients (from April to September 2017). RESULTS: A total of 135 new patients were counseled in the joint clinic and 563 consultations were performed in the period from January 2015 to December 2017. The majority were men with prostate cancer (85%), followed by bladder cancer (9%), and renal cell carcinoma (4%). Men with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer (n = 69) received ADT alone (57%), ADT with docetaxel or abiraterone (33%), and metastasis-directed therapy (10%). High rates of patient satisfaction were reported based on the questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The joint clinic model has been successfully implemented at our institution and continues on a weekly basis. The clinic is increasingly used, not only for newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer, but also for other complex uro-oncological cases. The clinic allows optimized oncological treatment without delay and with a reduced effort for patients.

Glycemic control and clinic attendance of emerging adults with type 1 diabetes at a transition care clinic.

BACKGROUND: Emerging adulthood is a challenging period for diabetes management. Our aim was to determine whether a dedicated transition clinic for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes can improve glycemic control and visit attendance. METHODS: An observational study of 53 emerging adults (30 males) treated during 2010-2014 in a newly established transition clinic. The clinic was operated jointly by pediatric and adult endocrinologists and included a transition coordinator. Data collected included the source of referral, HbA1c levels, frequency of visit attendance, and acute complications. For 27 patients who had attended the pediatric clinic at the same medical center, data from up to 2 years preceding the transition were also collected. Patients filled the Diabetes Quality of Life-Youth questionnaire at the transition and 1 year later. RESULTS: Mean ± SD age at the transfer to the transition clinic was 22.1 ± 2.7 years; mean disease duration was 8.4 ± 5.0 years. Follow-up duration at the transition clinic was 1.2 ± 1.1 years. Mean HbA1c levels decreased from 67 mmol/mol (95 % CI 63-72) [8.3 % (95 % CI 7.9-8.7)] at transfer to 57 mmol/mol (95 % CI 52-63) [7.4 % (95 % CI 6.9-7.9)] after 1 year (p < 0.001). Thirty-six patients (68 %) attended three or more visits during their first year in the transition clinic. The impact of diabetes on quality of life, disease-related worries, and life satisfaction did not change significantly during 1-year attendance in the transition clinic. CONCLUSIONS: A dedicated transition clinic for emerging adults, with tailored support according to the developmental needs of emerging adulthood, showed improved glycemic control and visit attendance.