Search

Objective: Research findings regarding child-centered care and electronic patient reported outcome measures (e-PROMs) within pediatric palliative oncology care reveal an intricate field of study. This study aimed to map innovations in e-PROMs for the pediatric cancer population in palliative care and their impact on symptom management, and communication with healthcare professionals. Methods: A scoping review was designed following the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Literature searches were conducted in CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria targeted children aged 0–18 years with cancer, receiving palliative and/or end-of-life care, and using e-PROMs. Results: Twelve articles were included: 10 quantitative studies, one qualitative study, and one mixed-method study. A narrative synthesis approach was used to summarize the findings, categorized into three sections: (a) technological innovation of e-PROMs in pediatric palliative oncology care; (b) the impact of e-PROMs on symptom monitoring, management, and children's care; (c) the effects of e-PROMs on communication between children and healthcare professionals in pediatric palliative oncology care. Conclusion: e-PROMs have proven effective in empowering children to express their perspectives and actively engage in their end-of-life care. Due to flexible software and devices designed for various age groups, these tools fit seamlessly into children's daily routines and preferences, including the use of play-oriented applications. They facilitate a deeper understanding, and management of physical and emotional symptoms while ensuring care remains child-centered. This emphasizes the importance of preserving the essence of childhood and addressing the unique needs and experiences of young patients in pediatric palliative oncology care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Today, many older adults use health technologies, approach their final days with laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Telepalliative care is a service that remotely delivers palliative care through videoconferencing, telephonic communication, or remote symptom monitoring. The service meets the needs of patients who want to die at home and reducing unnecessary hospitalizations. The objective of this study is to map the literature on the use of technology by the terminally ill older adult population being cared for at home, to identify which technology systems are in use, to determine how technology can change communication between palliative care professionals and patients, and to explore the strengths or weaknesses patients perceive regarding the use of technology. Methods: We conducted a scoping review following the methodology of Arksey and O'Malley. A literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Ilisi and Google Scholar databases. Results: Fourteen eligible papers identified various tools available in clinical practice and found that most older adults are comfortable and satisfied using them. Despite being physically distanced from clinicians, patients felt cared for even though eye contact was lacking. Being unfamiliar with technology emerged as a barrier to telepalliative care in addition to difficulties caused by screen size and internet connection problems. Conclusions: Older adults in palliative care at home perceive technology as a means of receiving efficient care. However, future research is needed to investigate what they look for in a technological tool and to develop more suitable technologies for them. Clinical Trial Registration: The protocol of this study has been published in the Open Science Framework (OSF) preregistrations at https://osf.io/acv7q to enhance replicability and transparency and reduce any publication or reporting bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROMs) enhance symptom management and patients' engagement in palliative cancer care. However, integrating them into this setting brings challenges, including patients' familiarity with technological devices and declining health status. Prioritizing the patient's acceptability and feasibility is crucial for their adoption. However, more knowledge is needed about patients' perspectives on the adoption of ePROMs in the community, especially for home-based palliative care., Aim: Explore patient viewpoints on utilizing ePROMs for symptom reporting in home-based oncology palliative care., Design: A qualitative interpretative approach was used to evaluate patients' points of view on using ePROMs in this specific care setting. Semistructured interviews were carried out. Data were analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis., Setting/participants: A total of 25 patients receiving oncological home palliative care from the advanced palliative care unit of the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan, Italy, were invited to participate. Twenty interviews were conducted, as five patients declined due to deteriorating health., Results: Four themes were identified: (1) strategic value of ePROMs and subjective appreciation; (2) enhancing patient centeredness through ePROMs; (3) exploring and addressing concerns about the use of ePROMs and (4) intersecting factors influencing the efficacy of ePROMs., Conclusion: Despite initial reticence, home palliative care patients consider ePROMs as potentially valuable allies monitoring symptoms, enhancing their quality of life, and amplifying their voices on less explored aspects of care. Continuous dialog between healthcare professionals and patients is crucial for addressing patient skepticism about ePROMs and their impact on the human aspect of care., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Introduction: Electronic patient-reported outcome measures (e-PROMs) offer advantages in palliative cancer care, including rapid completion, improved data quality and direct storage, improving clinical decision-making. The electronic Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (e-IPOS) in this context enables thorough self-assessment by patients, enhancing symptom management and self-reflection of their current situation., Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of implementing the e-IPOS in home palliative cancer care., Outcomes: The primary outcomes included the enrollment consent rate, study retention rate, e-IPOS completion rate and response completeness, and the number of clinical assessments and interventions performed during home visits. The secondary outcomes were the number of unscheduled visits and patients' perceived quality of life., Design: A two-group quasiexperimental clinical pilot study. The control group received standard palliative care, the intervention group received standard care along with weekly e-IPOS completion during home visits. Both groups were enrolled for 4 weeks., Setting/participants: Adults with advanced cancer from the home palliative care unit of the Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan., Results: Twenty-three patients were enrolled (74.19%), and 20 completed the study (drop-out: 13.04%). 82.5% of the expected e-IPOS responses were received, of which 96.9% were fully complete. In the intervention group, the Wilcoxon test showed an increase in identified needs and documented interventions ( P < .05) and a decrease in unscheduled visits ( P < .05)., Conclusion: It is feasible to recruit people via home palliative care for an e-IPOS implementation study. Future fully powered studies should investigate the feasibility and assess patients' perceptions of its use to better understand its clinical benefits., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.