NCT05095948

Improving Processes of Cancer Care Delivery at a Comprehensive Cancer Center

Mapping the Processes of Cancer Care Delivery at a Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 200 (estimated)
• Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study examines how cancer care is delivered in oncology and supportive care clinics. Collecting patient feedback may help doctors better understand the processes of cancer care in oncology and supportive care clinics.

Detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare the total amount of follow-up clinic time spent on discussing supportive/palliative care issues between primary palliative care provided by the oncology team and specialist palliative care. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare between the specialist palliative care team and the oncology team the following aspects of supportive/palliative care delivery: Ia. The number of supportive/palliative care needs the patient reported before the clinic visit (SPARC). Ib. The number of supportive/palliative care needs the patient wanted to discuss with the clinical team before the clinic visit (SPARC). Ic. The number of supportive/palliative care needs that were actually raised by the patient during the clinic visit (audiotape). Id. The number of supportive/palliative care needs that were actually discussed by the clinical team during clinic visit (audiotape). Ie. The number of supportive/palliative care needs that were documented in progress note by the clinical team after each visit (electronic health record). If. The number of supportive/palliative care needs that the patient reported had been adequate addressed after the clinic visit (SPARC). II. To compare the amount of clinic time (both absolute and proportion) spent on discussing supportive/palliative care issues by individual disciplines (e.g. medical doctor, registered nurse, counselor, pharmacist, psychologist, social worker, and priest) between the specialist palliative care team and the oncology team. III. To examine the nature of topics discussed by the specialist palliative care team and the oncology team and compare the amount of clinic time (both absolute and proportion) spent on each supportive/palliative care issue. IV. To compare the number of empathic statements between the specialist palliative care team and the oncology team. V. To compare the processes of supportive/palliative care delivery between patients seeing the oncology team without specialist palliative care (Cohort A) and patients seeing the oncology team when specialist palliative care team is involved (Cohort B). OUTLINE: Patients complete questionnaires over 15-20 minutes and undergo audio recording of clinic conversations between the oncology team or the specialist palliative care team. Patients' medical records are also reviewed.

Conditions

• Metastatic Malignant Solid Neoplasm

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Discussion	Undergo audio recording of clinic conversations
OTHER	Electronic Health Record Review	Review of medical records
OTHER	Questionnaire Administration	Complete questionnaires

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-08-30
• Primary completion: 2026-09-30
• Completion: 2026-09-30
• First posted: 2021-10-27
• Last updated: 2026-03-09

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States