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Acceptance of Advance Directives and Palliative Care Referral for Veterans With Advanced Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis.

Patel MI, Bhattacharya J, Asch SM, Kahn J. Acceptance of Advance Directives and Palliative Care Referral for Veterans With Advanced Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis. The American journal of hospice & palliative care. 2016 Sep 1; 33(8):742-7.

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Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the documentation of advance directive (ADs) and physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) with acceptance of palliative care (PC) services referral among patients with cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed veterans with advanced cancers at the Veterans Administration Palo Alto Health Care System. Chi-square tests estimated AD and POLST documentation and referral to PC. Logistic regression models estimated the odds of AD and POLST documentation and PC referral. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-six veterans were diagnosed with cancer. In all, 53% had a documented AD, 5% had a POLST, and 47% accepted referral to PC. The AD documentation was not associated with acceptance of PC. DISCUSSION: We found no association of AD documentation and PC referral. Future studies should evaluate other factors that influence referral to these services.





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