Implications of a needs assessment intervention for people with progressive cancer: impact on clinical assessment, response and service utilisation.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To assess the impact of the systematic use of the Palliative Care Needs Assessment Guidelines and Needs Assessment Tool: Progressive Disease-Cancer (NAT: PD-C) on clinical assessment, response and service utilisation.

STUDY SETTING:

Three major oncology treatment centres in NSW, Australia.

STUDY DESIGN:

Between March 2007 and December 2009, 219 people with advanced cancer were recruited to complete bi-monthly telephone interviews. The intervention, introduced after at least two baseline interviews, involved training health professionals to complete the NAT: PD-C with patients approximately monthly.

DATA COLLECTION:

Rates of service use and referrals were compared pre- and post-introduction of the NAT: PD-C. Rates of completion of the tool; its impact on consultation length; and the types of needs and follow-up care to address these were also assessed.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:

The NAT: PD-C had a high rate of completion; identified needs consistent with those self-reported by patients in interviews; and did not alter consultation length. No changes in the number of health professionals seen by patients were found pre- and post-intervention.

CONCLUSION:

The NAT: PD-C is an efficient and acceptable strategy for supporting needs-based cancer care that can potentially be incorporated into standard routine care without increasing the burden on care providers.

• Authors: Amy Waller, Afaf Girgis, Claire Johnson, Christophe Lecathelinais, David Sibbritt, Michael Seldon, Tony Bonaventura, David Currow, Palliative Care Research Program team
• Journal: Psycho-oncology (Psychooncology) Vol. 21 Issue 5 Pg. 550-7 (May 2012) ISSN: 1099-1611 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22517737 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Australia
• Delivery of Health Care
• Feasibility Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Needs Assessment
• Neoplasms (therapy)
• Palliative Care (statistics & numerical data)