Using Whole-Person-Care Guide in Patients Receiving Care for Cancer or Complications From Cancer Treatment

Overview

RATIONALE: Gathering information about patients with cancer and cancer-related conditions may help doctors learn more about a patient's needs and help doctors plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well a whole-person-care guide works in identifying patient needs in patients with cancer or complications from cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVES: * To determine what patient needs are detected from NEST13+ interviews of cancer patients and their caregivers. * To determine the concordance among patient, caregiver, and team goals. * To determine palliative care services provided. OUTLINE: Participants are assigned sequentially to 1 of 2 intervention groups. * Group 1 (NEST13+): Patients and caregivers undergo NEST13+ interviews at the time of admission to Northwestern Memorial Hospital (caregivers answer the NEST13+ interviews from the patient's perspective). A NEST13+ care plan is then derived from both patient and caregiver responses. Research MD or RN presents patient's NEST13+ findings and recommended interventions for integration with actual care. On the day of discharge, patients and caregivers undergo a second NEST13+ interview. * Group 2 (control): Patients and caregivers undergo a sham interview at the time of admission to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. On the day of discharge, patients and caregivers undergo a NEST13+ interview as in group 1. Medical charts for all patients are reviewed by a member of the research staff to document needs assessments in domains covered by NEST and to document palliative care-related decisions. Abstracted chart review by blinded experts is also performed to evaluate palliative care quality based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 500 patients and 250 caregivers will be accrued for this study.