EMS Experience Caring and Communicating with Patients and Families with a Life-Limiting-Illness.

Introduction: The emergency medical services (EMS) system was designed to reduce death and disability and EMS training focuses on saving lives through resuscitation, aggressive treatment and transportation to the emergency department. EMS providers commonly care for patients who have life-limiting illnesses. The objective was to explore EMS provider challenges, self-perceived roles and training experiences caring for patients and families with life-limiting illness. Methods: Qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews with EMS providers (n = 15) in Alameda County, CA. Purposive sampling was used to ensure a variety of perspectives including provider age, years of EMS experience, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, fire-based versus private, transport versus non-transporting. Recorded and transcribed interviews were analyzed using a thematic approach. Results: In their work with patients with life-limiting illness, participating EMS providers were interviewed and reported challenges for which their formal training had not prepared them: responding to grief and emotion expressed by families during traumatic events or death notification, and performing in the moment decision-making to determine the course of action after acute, unexpected, and traumatic events. Many participants reported becoming comfortable with grief counseling and death notification after acquiring some clinical experience. In the moment decision-making was eased when patients and families had had advance care planning discussions, however many patients, especially those from vulnerable and underserved populations, lacked advance care planning. In the face of situations where the course of action was not immediately clear, EMS providers voiced two frames for their role in caring for patients with life-limiting illness: transportation only ("transport people") versus a more "holistic" view, where EMS providers provided counseling and information about available resources. Conclusions: EMS providers interface with patients who have life-limiting illness and their families in the setting of traumatic events where the course of action is often unclear. There is an opportunity to provide formal training to EMS providers around grief counseling as well as how they can assist patients and families in in the moment decision-making to support previously identified goals and align care with patient goals and preferences.

Acute carbohydrate overfeeding: a redox model of insulin action and its impact on metabolic dysfunction in humans.

A role for fat overfeeding in metabolic dysfunction in humans is commonly implied in the literature. Comparatively less is known about acute carbohydrate overfeeding (COF). We tested the hypothesis that COF predisposes to oxidative stress by channeling electrons away from antioxidants to support energy storage. In a study of 24 healthy human subjects with and without obesity, COF was simulated by oral administration of excess carbohydrates; a two-step hyperinsulinemic clamp was used to evaluate insulin action. The distribution of electrons between oxidative and reductive pathways was evaluated by the changes in the reduction potentials (Eh) of cytoplasmic (lactate, pyruvate) and mitochondrial (ß-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate) redox couples. Antioxidant redox was measured by the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione. We used cross-correlation analysis to evaluate the relationships between the trajectories of Eh, insulin, glucose, and respiratory exchange during COF. DDIT3 and XBP1s/u mRNA were measured as markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) in adipose tissue before and after COF. Here, we show that acute COF is characterized by net transfer of electrons from mitochondria to cytoplasm. Circulating glutathione is oxidized in a manner that significantly cross-correlates with increasing insulin levels and precedes the decrease in cytoplasmic Eh. This effect is more pronounced in overweight individuals (OW). Markers of ER stress in subcutaneous fat are detectable in OW within 4 h. We conclude that acute COF contributes to metabolic dysfunction through insulin-dependent pathways that promote electron transfer to the cytoplasm and decrease antioxidant capacity. Characterization of redox during overfeeding is important for understanding the pathophysiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Current principles assume that conversion of thermic energy to metabolically useful energy follows fixed rules. These principles ignore the possibility of variable proton uncoupling in mitochondria. Our study shows that the net balance of electron distribution between mitochondria and cytoplasm is influenced by insulin in a manner that reduces proton leakage during overfeeding. Characterization of the effects of insulin on redox balance is important for understanding obesity and insulin resistance.

A Multicenter Study of the Causes and Consequences of Optimistic Expectations About Prognosis by Surrogate Decision-Makers in ICUs.

OBJECTIVES: Optimistic expectations about prognosis by surrogate decision-makers in ICUs are common, but there are few data about the causes and clinical consequences. Our objective was to determine the causes of optimistic expectations about prognosis among surrogates and whether it is associated with more use of life support at the end of life. DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter cohort study from 2009 to 2012. SETTING: Twelve ICUs from multiple regions of the United States. SUBJECTS: The surrogates and physicians of 275 incapacitated ICU patients at high risk of death. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Surrogates and physicians completed a validated instrument assessing their prognostic expectations for hospital survival. We determined the proportion of surrogates with optimistic expectations, defined as a prognostic estimate that was at least 20% more optimistic than the physician's, then determined how frequently this arose from surrogates miscomprehending the physicians' prognosis versus holding more hopeful beliefs compared with the physician. We used multivariable regression to examine whether optimistic expectations were associated with length of stay, stratified by survival status, and time to withdrawal of life support among nonsurvivors. Overall, 45% of surrogates (95% CI, 38-51%) held optimistic expectations about prognosis, which arose from a combination of misunderstanding the physician's prognostic expectations and from holding more hopeful beliefs compared with the physician. Optimistic expectations by surrogates were associated with significantly longer duration of ICU treatment among nonsurvivors before death (ß coefficient = 0.44; 95% CI, 0.05-0.83; p = 0.027), corresponding to a 56% longer ICU stay. This difference was associated with a significantly longer time to withdrawal of life support among dying patients whose surrogates had optimistic prognostic expectations compared with those who did not (ß coefficient = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.16-1.07; p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalent optimism about prognosis among surrogates in ICUs arises both from surrogates' miscomprehension of physicians' prognostications and from surrogates holding more hopeful beliefs. This optimism is associated with longer duration of life support at the end of life.

The contagion of optimism: The relationship between patient optimism and palliative care clinician overestimation of survival among hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Clinicians frequently overestimate survival time among seriously ill patients, and this can result in medical treatment at end of life that does not reflect the patient's preferences. Little is known, however, about the sources of clinicians' optimistic bias in survival estimation. Related work in social networks and experimental psychology demonstrates that psychological states-such as optimism-can transfer from one person to another. METHODS: We directly observed and audio recorded 189 initial inpatient palliative care consultations among hospitalized patients with advanced cancer. Patients self-reported their level of trait optimism and expectations for survival prognosis prior to the palliative care consultation, and the palliative care clinicians rated their expectations for the patient's survival time following the initial conversation with the patient. We followed patient mortality for 6 months. RESULTS: Patient optimism was associated with clinician overestimation of their survival in a dose-response relationship. Clinicians were approximately three times as likely to overestimate the survival of patients endorsing both high trait optimism and optimistic ratings of their survival time compared with neither (OR: 2.95; 95% CI: 1.24-7.02). This association was not attenuated by adjustment for age, gender, race, ethnicity, education, income, cancer type, functional status, quality of life, or white blood cell count (ORadj : 3.45; 95% CI: 1.24-9.66). CONCLUSION: Patients' optimism may have some influence over their clinicians' prognostic judgments.

Patient stakeholder engagement in research: A narrative review to describe foundational principles and best practice activities.

BACKGROUND: Health research is evolving to include patient stakeholders (patients, families and caregivers) as active members of research teams. Frameworks describing the conceptual foundations underlying this engagement and strategies detailing best practice activities to facilitate engagement have been published to guide these efforts. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this narrative review are to identify, quantify and summarize (a) the conceptual foundational principles of patient stakeholder engagement in research and (b) best practice activities to support these efforts. SEARCH STRATEGY, INCLUSION CRITERIA, DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: We accessed a publicly available repository of systematically identified literature related to patient engagement in research. Two reviewers independently screened articles to identify relevant articles and abstracted data. MAIN RESULTS: We identified 990 potentially relevant articles of which 935 (94.4%) were excluded and 55 (5.6%) relevant. The most commonly reported foundational principles were "respect" (n = 25, 45%) and "equitable power between all team members" (n = 21, 38%). Creating "trust between patient stakeholders and researchers" was described in 17 (31%) articles. Twenty-seven (49%) articles emphasized the importance of providing training and education for both patient stakeholder and researchers. Providing financial compensation for patient stakeholders' time and expertise was noted in 19 (35%) articles. Twenty articles (36%) emphasized regular, bidirectional dialogue between patient partners and researchers as important for successful engagement. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Engaging patient stakeholders in research as partners presents an opportunity to design, implement and disseminate patient-centred research. This review creates an overarching foundational framework for authentic and sustainable partnerships between patient stakeholders and researchers.

Patient and Family Advisory Councils for Research: Recruiting and Supporting Members From Diverse and Hard-to-Reach Communities.

OBJECTIVE: To describe strategies to recruit and support members from hard-to-reach groups on research-focused Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs). BACKGROUND: Ensuring diverse representation of members of research PFACs is challenging, and few studies have given attention to addressing this problem. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using 8 focus groups and 19 interviews with 80 PFAC members and leaders, hospital leaders, and researchers. RESULTS: Recruitment recommendations were: 1) utilizing existing networks; 2) going out to the community; 3) accessing outpatient clinics; and 4) using social media. Strategies to support inclusion were: 1) culturally appropriate communication methods; 2) building a sense of community between PFAC members; 3) equalizing roles between community members/leaders; 4) having a diverse PFAC leadership team; and 5) setting transparent expectations for PFAC membership. CONCLUSION: Increasing the diversity of research PFACs is a priority, and it is important to determine how best to engage groups that have been traditionally underrepresented.

Palliative Oncologic Care Curricula for Providers in Resource-Limited and Underserved Communities: a Systematic Review.

Familiarity with principles of palliative care, supportive care, and palliative oncological treatment is essential for providers caring for cancer patients, though this may be challenging in global communities where resources are limited. Herein, we describe the scope of literature on palliative oncological care curricula for providers in resource-limited settings. A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Med Ed Portal databases, and gray literature. All available prospective cohort studies, case reports, and narratives published up to July 2017 were eligible for review. Fourteen articles were identified and referenced palliative care education programs in Argentina, Uganda, Kenya, Australia, Germany, the USA, or multiple countries. The most common teaching strategy was lecture-based, followed by mentorship and experiential learning involving role play and simulation. Education topics included core principles of palliative care, pain and symptom management, and communication skills. Two programs included additional topics specific to the underserved or American Indian/Alaskan Native community. Only one program discussed supportive cancer care, and no program reported educational content on resource-stratified decision-making for palliative oncological treatment. Five programs reported positive participant satisfaction, and three programs described objective metrics of increased educational or research activity. There is scant literature on effective curricula for providers treating cancer patients in resource-limited settings. Emphasizing supportive cancer care and palliative oncologic treatments may help address gaps in education; increased outcome reporting may help define the impact of palliative care curriculum within resource-limited communities.

Preventing Harm in the ICU-Building a Culture of Safety and Engaging Patients and Families.

OBJECTIVE: Preventing harm remains a persistent challenge in the ICU despite evidence-based practices known to reduce the prevalence of adverse events. This review seeks to describe the critical role of safety culture and patient and family engagement in successful quality improvement initiatives in the ICU. We review the evidence supporting the impact of safety culture and provide practical guidance for those wishing to implement initiatives aimed at improving safety culture and more effectively integrate patients and families in such efforts. DATA SOURCES: Literature review using PubMed including evaluation of key studies assessing large-scale quality improvement efforts in the ICU, impact of safety culture on patient outcomes, methodologies for quality improvement commonly used in healthcare, and patient and family engagement. Print and web-based resources from leading patient safety organizations were also searched. STUDY SELECTION: Our group completed a review of original studies, review articles, book chapters, and recommendations from leading patient safety organizations. DATA EXTRACTION: Our group determined by consensus which resources would best inform this review. DATA SYNTHESIS: A strong safety culture is associated with reduced adverse events, lower mortality rates, and lower costs. Quality improvement efforts have been shown to be more effective and sustainable when paired with a strong safety culture. Different methodologies exist for quality improvement in the ICU; a thoughtful approach to implementation that engages frontline providers and administrative leadership is essential for success. Efforts to substantively include patients and families in the processes of quality improvement work in the ICU should be expanded. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to establish a culture of safety and meaningfully engage patients and families should form the foundation for all safety interventions in the ICU. This review describes an approach that integrates components of several proven quality improvement methodologies to enhance safety culture in the ICU and highlights opportunities to include patients and families.

A combination of developmental plasticity, parental effects, and genetic differentiation mediates divergences in life history traits between dung beetle populations.

The dung beetle, Onthophagus taurus, was introduced <50 years ago from its native Mediterranean range into Western Australia (WA) and the Eastern United States (EUS). The intensity of intra- and interspecific competition for dung as a breeding resource is substantially higher in WA. First, we tested whether differential resource competition in the two exotic ranges is associated with divergences in life history traits, which impact on resource use. We predicted that high levels of resource competition in WA should favor females that produce brood balls more efficiently and of altered size, and produce offspring more readily when a breeding opportunity arises. Furthermore, we predicted that larvae from WA populations may have evolved more efficient development and thus exhibit higher eclosion success, shorter development time, and altered body size under standardized conditions. Second, we examined the likely developmental mechanisms underlying these divergences, that is, genetic differentiation, developmental plasticity, or parental effects in a common garden experiment. Field-collected EUS and WA populations significantly differed, as predicted, in most of the traits examined. However, these differences are facilitated by a complex combination of proximate mechanisms. Developmental plasticity and (grand) parental effects mediated differences related to reproductive performance, whereas genetic differentiation mediated differences in the duration of larval development. Our study highlights that population divergences can be the product of a patchwork of proximate mechanisms, with each mechanism adjusting different traits in a way that the resulting composite phenotype may be better suited to its competitive environment.

Design of, and enrollment in, the palliative care communication research initiative: a direct-observation cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the characteristics of communication that foster patient-centered outcomes amid serious illness are essential for the science of palliative care. However, epidemiological cohort studies that directly observe clinical conversations can be challenging to conduct in the natural setting. We describe the successful enrollment, observation and data collection methods of the ongoing Palliative Care Communication Research Initiative (PCCRI). METHODS: The PCCRI is a multi-site cohort study of naturally occurring inpatient palliative care consultations. The 6-month cohort data includes directly observed and audio-recorded palliative care consultations (up to first 3 visits); patient/proxy/clinician self-report questionnaires both before and the day after consultation; post-consultation in-depth interviews; and medical/administrative records. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients or their proxies enrolled in PCCRI during Enrollment Year One (of Three). Seventy percent of eligible patients/proxies were invited to hear about a communication research study (188/269); 60% of them ultimately enrolled in the PCCRI (114/188), resulting in a 42% sampling proportion (114/269 eligible). All PC clinicians at study sites were invited to participate; all 45 participated. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiologic study of patient-family-clinician communication in palliative care settings is feasible and acceptable to patients, proxies and clinicians. We detail the successful PCCRI methods for enrollment, direct observation and data collection for this complex "field" environment.

Dancing around death: hospitalist-patient communication about serious illness.

Hospital physicians care for most seriously ill patients in the United States. We employed dimensional analysis to describe communication about death and dying in audio-recorded admission encounters between seriously ill patients and hospitalists. Acknowledging or not acknowledging the possibility of dying emerged as a key process. Acknowledgment was rare, and depended on synergistic communication behaviors between patient and physician. Facilitators included patients cuing for information and disclosing emotional distress, and physicians exploring the patient's understanding of his or her illness and emotional distress. When hospitalists focused on acute issues, stated that they were awaiting test results, and deferred to other physicians, discussion moved away from acknowledgment. Meaningful discussion of end-of-life issues, including goals and values, fears about death and dying, prognosis, and options for palliative care followed open acknowledgment. This acknowledgment process can serve as a guide for providers to sensitively and honestly discuss essential end-of-life issues.

Association Between Shared Decision-Making During Family Meetings and Surrogates' Trust in Their ICU Physician.

BACKGROUND: Although trust is central to successful physician-family relationships in ICUs, little is known about how to promote surrogates' trust of ICU physicians in this setting. RESEARCH QUESTION: Does the conduct of family conferences and physicians' use of shared decision-making (SDM) within family conferences impact surrogates' trust in the physician? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A mixed-methods secondary analysis was done of a multicenter prospective cohort study of 369 surrogate decision-makers of 204 decisionally incapacitated patients at high risk of death or severe functional impairment within 13 ICUs at six US medical centers between 2008 and 2012. Surrogates completed the Abbreviated Wake Forest Physician Trust Scale (range, 5-25) before and after an audio-recorded family conference conducted within 5 days of ICU admission. We qualitatively coded transcribed conferences to determine physicians' use of five SDM behaviors: discussing surrogate's role, explaining medical condition and prognosis, providing emotional support, assessing understanding, and eliciting patient's values and preferences. Using multivariable linear regression with adjustment for clustering, we assessed whether surrogates' trust in the physician increased after the family meeting; we also examined whether the number of SDM behaviors used by physicians during the family meeting impacted trust scores. RESULTS: In adjusted models, conduct of a family meeting was associated with increased trust (average change, pre- to post family meeting: 0.91 point [95% CI, 0.4-1.4; P < .01]). Every additional element of SDM used during the family meeting, including discussing surrogate's role, providing emotional support, assessing understanding, and eliciting patient's values and preferences, was associated with a 0.37-point increase in trust (95% CI, 0.08-0.67; P = .01). If all four elements were used, trust increased by 1.48 points. Explaining medical condition or prognosis was observed in nearly every conference (98.5%) and was excluded from the final model. INTERPRETATION: The conduct of family meetings and physicians' use of SDM behaviors during meetings were both associated with increases in surrogates' trust in the treating physician.

Comparison of weight loss outcomes between Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy in a racially mixed urban patient population.

BACKGROUND: National data show a trend favoring laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) over Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Published data demonstrating the differences in weight loss between the two procedures are mixed. OBJECTIVE: In this retrospective study using clinical data from 2010 to 2020, we compared the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients undergoing either SG or RYGB to evaluate their long-term weight loss outcomes. SETTING: University hospital in the United States. METHODS: A total of 3329 patients were identified in our institutional Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement database using Current Procedural Terminology codes for either RYGB or SG. A general linear model was used for baseline characteristics. Logistic regression was used for factors favoring RYGB versus SG. A multivariable linear mixed model was used for weight-trajectory analysis. Cox regression was used for a cumulative hazard ratio of 10% weight regained from nadir. RESULTS: Factors favoring RYGB were diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and gastroesophageal reflux disease, Hispanic ethnicity, and surgeon's preference. SG was favored among Black patients and smokers. RYGB was associated with more weight loss at all time points. The risk of weight regain was significantly higher after SG versus RYGB. CONCLUSIONS: The bariatric procedure choice is significantly influenced by race, medical history, and surgeon's experience. RYGB results in a significantly more durable weight loss compared with SG regardless of race or other stratification factors.

Code status discussions between attending hospitalist physicians and medical patients at hospital admission.

BACKGROUND: Bioethicists and professional associations give specific recommendations for discussing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether attending hospitalist physicians' discussions meet these recommendations. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study on the medical services at two hospitals within a university system between August 2008 and March 2009. PARTICIPANTS: Attending hospitalist physicians and patients who were able to communicate verbally about their medical care. MAIN MEASURES: We identified code status discussions in audio-recorded admission encounters via physician survey and review of encounter transcripts. A quantitative content analysis was performed to determine whether discussions included elements recommended by bioethicists and professional associations. Two coders independently coded all discussions; Cohen's kappa was 0.64-1 for all reported elements. KEY RESULTS: Audio-recordings of 80 patients' admission encounters with 27 physicians were obtained. Eleven physicians discussed code status in 19 encounters. Discussions were more frequent in seriously ill patients (OR 4, 95% CI 1.2-14.6), yet 66% of seriously ill patients had no discussion. The median length of the code status discussions was 1 min (range 0.2-8.2). Prognosis was discussed with code status in only one of the encounters. Discussions of patients' preferences focused on the use of life-sustaining interventions as opposed to larger life goals. Descriptions of CPR as an intervention used medical jargon, and the indication for CPR was framed in general, as opposed to patient-specific scenarios. No physician quantitatively estimated the outcome of or provided a recommendation about the use of CPR. CONCLUSIONS: Code status was not discussed with many seriously ill patients. Discussions were brief, and did not include elements that bioethicists and professional associations recommend to promote patient autonomy. Local and national guidelines, research, and clinical practice changes are needed to clarify and systematize with whom and how CPR is discussed at hospital admission.

Correlation of a feline muscle mass score with body composition determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Body condition scoring (BCS) systems primarily assess body fat. Both overweight and underweight animals may have loss of lean tissue that may not be noted using standard BCS systems. Catabolism of lean tissue can occur rapidly, may account for a disproportionate amount of body mass loss in sick cats and can have deleterious consequences for outcome. Therefore, along with evaluation of body fat, patients should undergo evaluation of muscle mass. The aims of the present study were first to evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of a 4-point feline muscle mass scoring (MMS) system and second to assess the convergent validity of MMS by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). MMS was as follows: 3, normal muscle mass; 2, slight wasting; 1, moderate wasting; 0, severe wasting. For the first aim, forty-four cats were selected for evaluation based on age and BCS, and for the second aim, thirty-three cats were selected based on age, BCS and MMS. Cats were scored by ten different evaluators on three separate occasions. Body composition was determined by DXA. Inter- and intra-rater agreement were assessed using kappa analysis. Correlation between MMS and BCS, age, percentage lean body mass and lean body mass (LBM) was determined using Spearman's rank-order correlation. The MMS showed moderate inter-rater agreement in cats that scored normal or severely wasted (κ = 0.48-0.53). Intra-rater agreement was substantial (κ = 0.71-0.73). The MMS was significantly correlated with BCS (r 0.76, P < 0.0001), age (r - 0.75, P < 0.0001), LBM (g) (r 0.62, P < 0.0001) and percentage LBM (r - 0.49, P < 0.0035). Additional investigation is needed to determine whether the MMS can be refined and to assess its clinical applicability.

Approach to the Patient: Management of the Post-Bariatric Surgery Patient With Weight Regain.

CONTEXT: Weight regain (WR) after bariatric surgery is emerging as a common clinical problem due to the increase in the number of procedures performed. Early interventions are necessary to curtail the potential recurrence of comorbid conditions. However, it is often difficult to recognize WR early enough to introduce mitigating measures because there are no current guidelines for timely diagnosis and assessment of the severity of this condition. OBJECTIVE: We present a practical approach for the early recognition of WR, based on 11-year follow-up data from our multiethnic bariatric surgery patient population. METHODS: We classify WR according to the rate of increase in weight relative to nadir weight, normalized per 30-day interval. We also review pertinent literature about the etiologic factors contributing to WR after bariatric surgery. RESULTS: According to our algorithm, mild, moderate, and rapid WR are defined as weight increases of 0.2% to <0.5%, 0.5% to 1.0%, and more than 1.0% of nadir weight per 30 days, respectively. Treatment options, including dietary counseling, use of antiobesity medication, and consideration of surgical revision, are described. A case is presented to illustrate the utility of timely identification of WR and the importance of collaboration between bariatric surgeons, obesity medicine specialists, and dietitians. CONCLUSION: Our approach emphasizes the importance of regular long-term follow-up for all bariatric surgery patients.

Generalist Palliative Care in the California Safety Net: A Structured Assessment to Design Interventions for a Range of Care Settings.

BACKGROUND: To provide high quality care to all patients who have serious illness, health-care systems must develop effective generalist palliative care strategies. OBJECTIVE: To identify palliative care quality gaps within a range of settings in the California safety net and to develop theory-based interventions to address them. DESIGN: Structured assessment using the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care Clinical Practice Guidelines and a Predisposing, Reinforcing, and Enabling Constructs in Educational/Environmental Diagnosis and Evaluation intervention planning model-based worksheet, which integrates behavior theories to identify factors that predispose, enable, and reinforce clinicians to perform recommended behaviors. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Adviser pairs-one from palliative care and one from a partner service line-from 10 California public health-care systems conducted assessments at their sites. A steering committee provided educational webinars, best practices, and assessment tools. MEASUREMENTS: Adviser pairs interviewed at least 6 partner service line stakeholders to identify palliative care quality gaps, behaviors clinicians should perform to close gaps, and factors that predispose, enable, and reinforce those behaviors. RESULTS: Partner service lines were primary care (n = 4), surgery (n = 3), emergency department (n = 2), and radiation oncology (n = 1). Selected gaps were advance care planning and goals of care communication (n = 6), identifying patients with serious illness (n = 3), and pain management (n = 1). All sites designed multiple interventions to address gaps, based on factors that predispose, enable, and reinforce a target audience to perform a target behavior. Advisers reported that the program strengthened relationships between palliative care and the partner service line. CONCLUSION: This structured assessment helped busy clinicians develop theory-based generalist palliative care interventions.

Availability of Palliative Care in Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the availability of palliative care programs in long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis using the 2016 American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: LTACHs in the United States. METHOD: We used descriptive analyses to compare the prevalence of palliative care programs in LTACHs across the United States in 2016. For LTACHs without a program, we also examined palliative care physician capacity in regions where those LTACHs resided to evaluate if expertise existed in those regions. RESULTS: One-third (36.5%) of 405 LTACHs (50.6% response rate) self-reported having a palliative care program. Among LTACHs without palliative care, 42.4% were in regions with the highest palliative care physician capacity nationwide. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: LTACHs care for patients with serious and prolonged illnesses, many of whom would benefit from palliative care. Despite this, our study finds that specialty palliative care is limited in LTACHs. The limited palliative care availability in LTACHs is mismatched with the needs of this seriously ill population. Greater focus on increasing palliative care in LTACHs is essential and may be feasible as 40% of LTACHs without a palliative care program were located in regions with the highest palliative care physician capacity.