Both ASCO and NCCN have made integration of palliative care into oncology practice a focus, and access to palliative care in both the inpatient and outpatient care setting is integral to optimizing patient care. This quality improvement initiative, begun in 2012, integrated a half-day supportive care clinic into the medical oncology practice at Gibbs Cancer Center, expanding palliative care services beyond the inpatient setting.
A nurse practitioner from the medical oncology practice and a registered nurse from the Palliative Care team collaborate to coordinate the weekly clinic with oversight from the Palliative Care medical director. Program success is being measured in terms of increased patient satisfaction, reduced distress symptoms, increased hospice LOS, and increased supportive care clinic visits.
Listen to a full recording of Gibbs' presentation at the ACCC 30th National Oncology Conference. (Available to ACCC members only.)