Julio Silvestre1, Tracey Gosse2, Paul Read3, Ryan Gentzler4, Benjamin Purow2, Ashok Asthagiri5, Elizabeth Gaughan4, Patrick M Dillon4, James M Larner3, Roger T Anderson6, Jason P Sheehan5, Camilo E Fadul2. 1. Department of Medicine, Palliative Care Medicine Section, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. 2. Department of Neurology, Division of Neuro-Oncology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. 3. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. 4. Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. 5. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. 6. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: High-value and high-quality health care requires outcome measurements to inform treatment decisions, but, to our knowledge, no standardized measurements exist to evaluate brain metastases (BMs) care. We propose a set of measurements and report on their implementation in the care of patients with BMs. METHODS: On the basis of a stakeholders' needs assessment and review of the literature, we identified outcome and process measurements to assess the care of patients with BMs according to treatment modality. Retrospectively, we applied these indicators of care to all patients diagnosed and treated at our institution over 2 years. RESULTS: We ascertained 5 outcome and 6 process measurements of relevance in the care of BMs. When applied to 209 patients (89.7%) who received cancer treatment, 77% were alive > 90 days after diagnosis. The proportion alive at 90 days after surgery, whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT), and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) was 82%, 59%, and 81%, respectively. Other performance measurements included 30-day postoperative readmission rate (6%), SRS within 30 days of surgery (79%), use of memantine with WBRT (41%), advance directives within 6 months of diagnosis (53%), and palliative care consultation for patients with poor prognosis or receiving WBRT (45%). Measurements for the 24 patients (10.3%) receiving best supportive care were advance directives documentation (67%) and referral to palliative or hospice care (83%). CONCLUSION: We propose a set of measurements to apprise quality improvement efforts, inform treatment decision-making, and to use in evaluation of the performance of interdisciplinary BMs programs. Their refinement can potentially enhance the quality and value of care delivered to patients with BMs.
PURPOSE: High-value and high-quality health care requires outcome measurements to inform treatment decisions, but, to our knowledge, no standardized measurements exist to evaluate brain metastases (BMs) care. We propose a set of measurements and report on their implementation in the care of patients with BMs. METHODS: On the basis of a stakeholders' needs assessment and review of the literature, we identified outcome and process measurements to assess the care of patients with BMs according to treatment modality. Retrospectively, we applied these indicators of care to all patients diagnosed and treated at our institution over 2 years. RESULTS: We ascertained 5 outcome and 6 process measurements of relevance in the care of BMs. When applied to 209 patients (89.7%) who received cancer treatment, 77% were alive > 90 days after diagnosis. The proportion alive at 90 days after surgery, whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT), and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) was 82%, 59%, and 81%, respectively. Other performance measurements included 30-day postoperative readmission rate (6%), SRS within 30 days of surgery (79%), use of memantine with WBRT (41%), advance directives within 6 months of diagnosis (53%), and palliative care consultation for patients with poor prognosis or receiving WBRT (45%). Measurements for the 24 patients (10.3%) receiving best supportive care were advance directives documentation (67%) and referral to palliative or hospice care (83%). CONCLUSION: We propose a set of measurements to apprise quality improvement efforts, inform treatment decision-making, and to use in evaluation of the performance of interdisciplinary BMs programs. Their refinement can potentially enhance the quality and value of care delivered to patients with BMs.
Authors: Ayal A Aizer; Nayan Lamba; Manmeet S Ahluwalia; Kenneth Aldape; Adrienne Boire; Priscilla K Brastianos; Paul D Brown; D Ross Camidge; Veronica L Chiang; Michael A Davies; Leland S Hu; Raymond Y Huang; Timothy Kaufmann; Priya Kumthekar; Keng Lam; Eudocia Q Lee; Nancy U Lin; Minesh Mehta; Michael Parsons; David A Reardon; Jason Sheehan; Riccardo Soffietti; Hussein Tawbi; Michael Weller; Patrick Y Wen Journal: Neuro Oncol Date: 2022-10-03 Impact factor: 13.029
Authors: Albert E Kim; Gi-Ming Wang; Kristin A Waite; Scott Elder; Avery Fine; Manmeet S Ahluwalia; Daniel Brat; Minesh P Mehta; Robin Page; Erin Dunbar; Heather M Calderone; Debra Signer Robins; Ralph DeVitto; Nicole E Willmarth; Jill S Barnholtz-Sloan; Priscilla K Brastianos Journal: Neurooncol Pract Date: 2021-07-13