Explore end of life (EOL) diagnostic intensity with the aim of improving quality of care. Explore the need for a patient-centered approach from the communication angle between physicians.
Advance care planning is relevant at the EOL. Lack of diagnostic advance care planning carries the risk of unwanted and unnecessary tests from the perspective of the patients. Unwanted and unnecessary diagnostic tests, in turn, would overstress limited resources and financial constraints on the health care system. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies addressing diagnostic intensity in EOL.
Patients with known metastatic cancer seemed a representative and traceable group. Given the high risk of thromboembolic events associated with cancer, pulmonary angioscans (PAS) are frequently prescribed to rule out pulmonary embolism.
We aimed to explore the informed consent in a cohort of patients with documented metastatic cancer who underwent PAS while hospitalized. We conducted a single-center retrospective study from 01-01-2012 to 31-12-2012. Forty-five patients met the criteria. Seven were hospitalized in the palliative care unit and 38 on the acute care wards. None of the explicit documentations of the desired levels of care specifically addressed diagnostic procedures as care. More detailed data will be presented on the poster.
Irislimane, M,
Lamontagne, F,
Brazeau-Lamontagne, L,
Diagnostic Intensity in End of Life Patients. Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL.
http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14005866.html
