Toxicity-Related Factors Associated With Use of Services Among Community Oncology Patients.

PURPOSE: Community oncology practices frequently manage chemotherapy-associated toxicities, which may disrupt treatment, impair quality of life, and induce unplanned service use. We sought to understand the patterns and correlates of unplanned health care service use among patients receiving first-cycle chemotherapy at five community-based ambulatory oncology practices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A survey study examined the dichotomous outcome of unplanned service use, defined as oncologist visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, resulting from toxicity-related factors. Newly diagnosed patients with breast, lung, head and neck, or colorectal cancer or non-Hodgkin lymphoma were recruited during the first chemotherapy cycle. Before beginning the second cycle of chemotherapy, patients completed a questionnaire that measured unplanned service use and overall distress, plus severity of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, mouth sores, intravenous catheter problems, pain, fever and chills, extremity edema, and dyspnea on a 5-point scale (1, did not experience; 5, disabling). Medical record reviews captured chemotherapy doses, comorbid conditions, and supportive care interventions. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with unplanned service use, with random effects specified for each clinic. RESULTS: Among 106 patients (white, 98%; female, 74.5%; mean age ± standard deviation, 60 ± 11 years), frequently reported toxicities were pain, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. Thirty-six patients (34%) reported unplanned service use: 29% reported oncologist visits, 14% reported emergency department visits, and 8% reported hospitalizations. Factors significantly associated with unplanned service use were high patient-reported distress and receipt of colony-stimulating factor. CONCLUSION: Service use resulting from toxicity-related factors occurs frequently in community oncology settings. Monitoring toxicity patterns and outcomes can inform proactive symptom management approaches to reduce toxicity burden between scheduled visits.

Patterns and correlates of missed nursing care in inpatient oncology units.

BACKGROUND: Missed nursing care influences the quality of hospital care, yet this problem has not been explored in the oncology setting, nor are the correlates of missed nursing care in inpatient oncology settings understood. OBJECTIVE: We examined the frequency of missed care in oncology units, differences in missed care between oncology and non-oncology units, and the relationship between unit staffing and missed care. METHODS: We performed secondary analysis of survey data collected in 2008 to 2009 across 9 hospitals. The MISSCARE Survey was administered to nurses and medical assistants employed in 62 units (n = 2318). Descriptive statistics and linear regression were used to examine the frequency of missed care, differences between oncology (n = 12) and non-oncology units (n=50), and the relationship between unit staffing and missed care. RESULTS: Oncology nursing unit personnel reported ambulation, care conference attendance, and mouth care as most frequently missed. Oncology units had significantly lower missed care than did non-oncology units (P < .05). Higher patient assignments were associated with an increase in reported missed care (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Missed care is a problem shared by inpatient oncology and non-oncology units. Missed ambulation and mouth care are worrisome, given their importance to oncology patients. Suboptimal staffing increases missed care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These data motivate quality improvement and evidence-based management. Clinicians can strategize to ensure patients receive adequate ambulation and mouth care. Managers can use our findings to support the importance of stable nurse staffing to reduce untoward patient outcomes.