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PURPOSE Patients with cancer experience high rates of morbidity and unplanned health care utilization and may benefit from new models of care. We evaluated an adult oncology hospital at home program's rate of unplanned hospitalizations and health care costs and secondarily, emergency department (ED) use, length of hospital stays, and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions during the 30 days after enrollment. METHODS We conducted a prospective, nonrandomized, real-world cohort comparison of 367 hospitalized patients with cancer—169 patients consecutively admitted after hospital discharge to Huntsman at Home (HH), a hospital-at-home program, compared with 198 usual care patients concurrently identified at hospital discharge. All patients met clinical criteria for HH admission, but those in usual care lived outside the HH service area. Primary outcomes were the number of unplanned hospitalizations and costs during the 30 days after enrollment. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stays, ICU admissions, and ED visits during the 30 days after enrollment. RESULTS Groups were comparable except that more women received HH care. In propensity-weighted analyses, the odds of unplanned hospitalizations was reduced in the HH group by 55% (odds ratio, 0.45, 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.70; P < .001) and health care costs were 47% lower (mean cost ratio, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.72; P < .001) over the 30-day period. Secondary outcomes also favored HH. Total hospital stay days were reduced by 1.1 days ( P = .004) and ED visits were reduced by 45% (odds ratio, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.92; P = .022). There was no evidence of a difference in ICU admissions ( P = .972). CONCLUSION This oncology hospital at home program shows initial promise as a model for oncology care that may lower unplanned health care utilization and health care costs.

Adults 65 years of age or older with metastatic cancer face complicated treatment decisions. Few studies have explored the process with oncology clinicians during clinic encounters. Our exploratory study evaluated whether symptom burden or functional status impacted treatment decision conversations between older adults, caregivers, and oncology clinicians in a single National Cancer Institute within the Mountain West region.We conducted an observational, convergent mixed methods longitudinal study between November 2019 and January 2021; participants were followed for six months. The MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) and Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) were administered prior to clinical encounter. Ambulatory clinic encounters were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Nineteen older adults with a metastatic cancer diagnosis or a relapsed refractory hematologic malignancy were approached to achieve a sample of fifteen participants. The main outcome of interest was the number and quality of treatment decision making conversations, defined broadly and encompassing any interaction between the participant and oncology provider that involved (a) an issue or concern (e.g., symptoms, quality of life) brought up by anyone in the room during the clinical encounter, (b) a clinician addressing the concern, or (c) the patient or caregiver making a decision that involved a discussion of their goals or treatment preferences.Nine men and six women with a mean age of 71.3 years (6.6; standard deviation [SD]) were enrolled, and four died while on study. Participants were followed from one to ten visits (mean 4.5; SD 2.8) over one to six months. Of the 67 analyzed encounters, seven encounter conversations (10%) were identified as involving any type of treatment decision discussion. The seven treatment decision conversations occurred with five participants, all male (although female participants made up 40% of the sample), and 63% of participants who reported severe symptoms on the MDASI were female. Severe symptoms or functional status did not impact treatment conversations.Our results suggest that older adults with incurable cancer and their oncology clinicians do not spontaneously engage in an assessment of costs and benefits to the patient, even in the setting of palliative treatment and significant symptom burden.

15 Background: We previously demonstrated that Huntsman at Home (HH), a novel oncology hospital at home program, was associated with reduced healthcare utilization and costs. HH was also linked to shorter hospital stays and fewer emergency room (ER) visits. In this study, we sought to understand the impact of HH in specific patient subgroups. Methods: We compared outcomes among 169 patients consecutively admitted to HH against 198 usual care patients. Five dichotomous subgroups were created based upon patient a) sex b) age c) area level median income d) Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and e) current use of systemic therapy (ST). Outcomes included 30-day costs, unplanned hospitalizations (UH), length of hospital stays, and ER visits. HH and usual care were compared via inverse propensity weighted regression models. Treatment propensities were estimated via random forests based on age, race, stage, cancer site, presence of metastases, CCI, and area level median income.Results: The between group difference favoring HH achieved statistical significance (p < 0.05) for at least two out of the four outcomes in each subgroup except for patients with higher comorbid illnesses. While HH participants did not always experience statistically better outcomes than usual care, none of the outcomes examined favored usual care for any subgroup. Sex. Female and male HH patients experienced fewer UH and lower costs than usual care. Male HH patients also had shorter hospital stays and fewer ED visits. Age. When stratifying age at 65 years, older HH patients experienced fewer days in the hospital and fewer UH. Younger HH patients had lower costs, and fewer UH and ED visits. Area level Income. All outcomes were better for high and low income HH patients compared to usual care except for ED visits among those with low income. CCI. Among those with a low CCI score, all four outcomes were better among HH patients. In contrast, differences between groups with higher comorbid illness did not achieve statistical significance for any outcome. Systemic Therapy. HH participants on ST experienced shorter hospital stays and fewer UH compared to usual care. Among those not on ST, HH patients experienced lower costs, and fewer UH and ED admissions. Conclusions: In this exploratory analysis, we found that the utilization and cost benefit associated with HH was robust, favoring better outcomes in each subgroup including lower 30-day costs, shorter hospital length of stay and fewer unplanned hospitalizations or ER visits. While medically complex patients may not receive similar benefit from HH as other subgroups, no outcomes favored patients managed by usual care. Taken together, this suggests that health care utilization and cost reductions associated with HH occur across multiple subgroups, but patients with high comorbidity may require additional intervention to realize lower utilization and costs.

376 Background: Older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have identified home time (HT) as a critical outcome influencing their treatment selection. However, few studies have characterized HT in this disease setting. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, observational study of adults age ≥60 diagnosed with AML from 2015 to 2020 at University of North Carolina Health. First-line therapy was classified by intensity: low (hypomethylating agent [HMA]), intermediate (HMA+Venetoclax), and high (anthracycline-based). The primary outcome was cumulative HT days from time of diagnosis. A day was defined as HT if an individual was not hospitalized and did not utilize emergency department services or ambulatory oncology clinics. Secondary outcomes were proportion of days at home (PDH) and overall survival (OS). Covariates included demographics and disease risk by ELN 2017 criteria. HT was evaluated via summary statistics with comparisons among treatment groups made via linear (for HT / PDH) or Cox proportional hazard (for OS) regression models adjusted for age & ELN risk. PDH was further adjusted for log of follow up time. Median OS was calculated via the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: 197 individuals were identified. Mean age was 71 (range 60-95), 79% were white, and 59% male. 38% received high-intensity therapy, 33% received low, and 29% intermediate. Mean age was lower in the high-intensity group (66 vs 74 in low, 75 in intermediate; Kruskal-Wallis p < 0.0001). Mean HT was 284 days, and median survival was 10.3 months (95% CI 8.4-12.7). Mean HT was greater in the high-intensity group at 409 days (CI 310-508) vs. 243 (158-328) in low and 169 (121-216) in the intermediate group (Table). The high-intensity group had greater median OS at 19.9 months vs. 8.8 (low) or 7.7 (intermediate) but a lower mean adjusted PDH (high: 0.60 vs. low: 0.73 vs. intermediate: 0.75; p < 0.0001). In adjusted models, these differences remained statistically significant. Mean HT, median OS, and mean adjusted PDH did not differ significantly between the low & intermediate groups. Conclusions: Older adults with AML spend a tremendous amount of time - roughly 40% of days - engaged in oncology care. Although receiving high-intensity therapy was associated with longer OS, increases in HT were more modest, indicating that much of the survival gains were spent engaged in care. Shared treatment decision-making should incorporate patient preferences for securing HT versus attempting to prolong survival.[Table: see text]

OBJECTIVES To describe the composition of the US provider workforce for adults with cancer older than 65 years and to determine whether there were differences in patients who received care from different providers (eg, nurse practitioners [NPs], physician assistants [PAs], and specialty physicians). DESIGN Observational, cross-sectional study. SETTING Adults within the 2013 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registries linked to the Medicare claims database. PARTICIPANTS Medicare beneficiaries who received ambulatory care for any solid or hematologic malignancies. MEASUREMENTS International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), diagnosis codes were used to identify Medicare patient claims for malignancies in older adults. Providers for those ambulatory claims were identified using taxonomy codes associated with their National Provider Identifier number. RESULTS A total of 2.5 million malignancy claims were identified for 201, 237 patients, with 15, 227 providers linked to claims. NPs comprised the largest group (31.5%; n = 4,806), followed by hematology/oncology physicians (27.7%; n = 4,222), PAs (24.7%; n = 3767), medical oncologists (10.9%; n = 661), gynecological oncologists (2.6%; n = 403), and hematologists (2.4%; n = 368). Rural cancer patients were more likely to receive care from NPs (odds ratio [OR] = 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.65-2.05) or PAs (OR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.40-1.77) than from physicians. Patients in the South were more likely to receive care from NPs (OR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.24-1.49). CONCLUSIONS A large proportion of older adults with cancer receive care from NPs and PAs, particularly those who reside in rural settings and in the southern United States. Workforce strategies need to integrate these provider groups to effectively respond to the rising need for cancer care within the older adult population.

Cases of chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) are extremely rare and easily missed. The World Health Organization revised criteria in 2016 to include evaluation for CSF3R somatic mutations. In this article, we discuss an 84-year-old man who initially presented with leukocytosis, macrocytosis, and mild splenomegaly. The bone marrow biopsy and aspirate revealed hypercellularity (90%) and was comprised primarily of mature neutrophils. There was no genetic rearrangement of PDGFRA, PDGFRB, FGRF1, BCR-ABL, or JAK2. A skin biopsy of a hyperpigmented area on the palm of the patient’s hand proved to be a neutrophilic infiltrate. This patient experience is presented to highlight several issues: the rarity of CNL, the role of molecular testing to confirm diagnosis, and the aggressive nature of this unusual myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Background The oncology nurse practitioner (ONP) role has evolved since the first ONP competencies were published by the Oncology Nursing Society in 2007. An update was completed in 2019 to reflect the rapidly expanding role. Objectives The purpose of this article is to describe the process of the ONP competency development and identify potential applications across a variety of oncology settings. Methods The team performed an extensive literature review of the research about ONP practice across the cancer care continuum. Peer and expert review were conducted to ensure the competencies were comprehensive and relevant. Findings The ONP competencies provide a solid, evidence-based benchmark to standardize the ONP role and practice, thereby ensuring that patients receive the highest-quality cancer care.

Cases of chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) are extremely rare and easily missed. The World Health Organization revised criteria in 2016 to include evaluation for CSF3R somatic mutations. In this article, we discuss an 84-year-old man who initially presented with leukocytosis, macrocytosis, and mild splenomegaly. The bone marrow biopsy and aspirate revealed hypercellularity (90%) and was comprised primarily of mature neutrophils. There was no genetic rearrangement of PDGFRA, PDGFRB, FGRF1, BCR-ABL, or JAK2. A skin biopsy of a hyperpigmented area on the palm of the patient's hand proved to be a neutrophilic infiltrate. This patient experience is presented to highlight several issues: the rarity of CNL, the role of molecular testing to confirm diagnosis, and the aggressive nature of this unusual myeloproliferative neoplasm.

As part of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease, reducing potentially avoidable emergency department (ED) use by individuals with dementia has been identified as a component of enhancing the quality and efficiency of care for this population. To help inform the development of interventions to achieve this goal, an integrative review was conducted to: (a) compare rates and reasons for ED visits by community-dwelling individuals with and without dementia, considering also the effect of dementia subtype and severity; and (b) identify other risk factors for increased ED use among community-dwelling individuals with dementia. Nineteen articles met inclusion criteria. Individuals with dementia had higher rates of ED visits compared to those without dementia, although differences were attenuated in the last year of life. Increased symptoms and disability were associated with increased rates of ED visits, whereas resources that enabled effective management of increased need decreased rates. Gerontological nurses across settings are on the frontlines of preventing potentially avoidable ED visits by community-dwelling individuals with dementia through patient and family education and leadership in the development of new models of care. [ Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44 (3), 23–30.]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which women being treated for breast cancer discussed their symptoms during the week prior to a clinic visit. Method Women reported the severity of 11 symptoms (0–10 scale) daily using an automated patient-reported outcomes system. Clinic visits were audio recorded, and symptom discussions were coded. Moderate to severe symptoms reported in the week prior to the visit were compared to the symptoms discussed at the visit. Results Twenty-six clinic visits of 10 women (mean age, 51.6 years; half had advanced disease) were recorded. In the week prior to their visits, participants provided 183 reports of moderate to severe symptoms. Reported symptoms were discussed at 49.5% of visits, with 36% of discussions initiated by patients. These discussions were more likely to include assessment and normalizing and were less focused on intensifying symptom management. Symptom discussions were more likely with younger women and the time spent discussing symptoms decreased over subsequent visits for all women. Conclusions Women who are symptomatic during treatment are not systematically queried about their symptoms, nor are women effectively reporting their symptoms. Attention should be directed at eliciting symptoms from older women; symptoms should be discussed throughout the duration of chemotherapy.

Introduction The prognosis for older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is poor. Of approximately 12,000 adults age ≥ 60 diagnosed with AML in the U.S. annually, less than 40% survive 1 year from diagnosis. Prior research has shown that adults with AML feel time at home is a critical consideration in treatment selection. However, to date, no study has adequately described the amount of time older adults can expect to spend at home following initiation of AML therapy. In this study, we aimed to (1) quantify this time and (2) assess the impact of venetoclax (VEN) combination therapy on time at home for older adults with AML. Methods We queried records from University of North Carolina Health to identify individuals age ≥ 60 newly diagnosed with AML from 2015 to 2020. First-line AML therapy was identified, and those receiving azacitidine (AZA) and/or VEN were included. Dates of diagnosis, first remission, death, last follow up, and all oncology clinic / emergency department (ED) / inpatient encounters were captured. Patients with incomplete records were excluded. The primary outcome was proportion of days at home (PDH). PDH was calculated for each patient by subtracting the number of care days (days hospitalized or seen in an ED / oncology clinic / infusion center) from the total days of follow up, divided by total days of follow up. Overall survival (OS) was calculated via the Kaplan-Meier method. Covariates including demographics and disease risk (per European Leukemia Net 2017) were captured. PDH was evaluated via summary statistics for the full cohort and stratified by each categorical variable, both for the full follow up period and on a month-by-month basis among survivors. Associations between PDH and covariates were further assessed via linear regression with adjustment for length of follow up, with significance assessed via Wald Chi-square test. Results From 2015-2020, 137 older adults receiving first-line AZA and/or VEN were identified. 24 were excluded due to incomplete records. Among the remaining 113, mean age was 76 (range 60-99), 80.4% were white, and 43.4% were female. Most received AZA+VEN (51.3%) followed by AZA monotherapy (39.0%) and other VEN-containing combinations (9.7%). The majority had adverse-risk AML (61.3%). Baseline covariates including age and ELN risk were similar across therapy groups. Over the full follow up period, mean PDH was 0.58 (95% confidence interval 0.54-0.63) with a median of 0.63. PDH was similar among those with adverse-risk (mean 0.55, CI 0.49-0.61) and intermediate-risk AML (0.64, CI 0.56-0.72). PDH did not differ among therapy groups: AZA+VEN (0.60, CI 0.54-0.66), AZA alone (0.57, CI 0.49-0.66), and other VEN-containing regimens (0.54, CI 0.40-0.69). When adjusted for length of follow up, no covariate had a significant association with PDH (all p > 0.05). When evaluated month-by-month, the proportion of days at home rose over time among survivors. For example, of patients who survived the full month, mean PDH was 0.51 (CI 0.47-54, n = 105) in month 1 following diagnosis and 0.77 (CI 0.72-0.82, n = 57) in month 6. Figure 1 summarizes person-days at home or engaged in care for 12 months following diagnosis (including contributions from those who did not survive the full month). 34.5% of patients achieved composite complete remission, with higher rates among those receiving AZA+VEN (51.7%) than AZA alone (13.6%) (OR 6.8, p = 0.0002). Median OS was 0.64 years (CI 0.32 - 0.91) and was similar across therapy groups. Conclusion Burden of care for older adults with AML treated with first-line AZA or VEN is high. These individuals spend nearly half (cohort mean 42%) of days following diagnosis engaged in oncology care. In randomized studies, the addition of VEN to AZA improves OS and increases remission rates though results in higher rates of neutropenic fever. Although this study may be underpowered to detect small differences, the superior remission rates with AZA+VEN did not translate to more days at home, perhaps due to increased admissions for neutropenic fever and office/infusion visits. Given the importance of time at home to older adults with AML identified in prior research, these data provide new information to support shared decision making regarding treatment options. Future prospective trials should evaluate burden of care, including time at home, as an endpoint. While awaiting these data, larger analyses of the impact of treatment regimen on burden of care would be useful. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Bryant: Carevive: Consultancy, Research Funding; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Servier Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Coombs: Alexion Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Machaon Diagnostics: Research Funding. Foster: Macrogenics: Research Funding; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Macrogenics: Consultancy; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Agios: Consultancy; Bellicum Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding.

Purpose Cancer caregivers experience health challenges related to their caregiving role, and self-efficacy can contribute to health outcomes through behavioral, environmental, and personal factors. The purpose of this integrative review was to examine self-efficacy in caregivers of adults diagnosed with cancer, including its association with health factors. Method A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL , and PsychInfo yielded 560 articles. Following duplicate removal, 232 articles were screened for inclusion criteria with 71 articles remaining for final review. Results Studies were generally quantitative (n = 67), with predominantly female (n = 55), White (n = 36) caregivers, between the ages of 45–60 (n = 48). Self-efficacy was significantly associated with quality of life, caregiver function, social support, hope, depression, anxiety, and burden as a predictor, mediator, and outcome. Physical health and social determinants of health (social support and financial well-being) were addressed among fewer studies than mental and emotional health outcomes. Conclusions Addressing self-efficacy in diverse populations and within physical, mental, and social health contexts will enhance understanding of how self-efficacy impacts caregivers of adults diagnosed with cancer. Nurses and other health care professionals can then effectively address supportive needs of caregivers in the personal, behavioral, and environmental domains.

Problem statement To describe research mentorship strategies needed to strengthen oncology nursing science and ensure that a cadre of nurse scientists are available to carry out the research mission of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS). Design Multimethod consensus-building approach by content experts of the ONS Research Mentorship Task Force and approval by the ONS Board of Directors was employed. Data sources Expert opinion, surveys, notes from an all-day research mentorship retreat, and literature review were used. Analysis Content analysis was used to synthesize notes from the research mentorship retreat. Findings Various strategies were identified to strengthen the pipeline of oncology nurse scientists and promote development across the career trajectory. Implications for practice Mentorship is essential to advance the growth and impact of oncology nursing science and requires support throughout the career trajectory.

Objectives To identify the best available dataset that measured the number of nurse practitioners (NPs) and the type of care they provided; patient information, including malignancy type, age, and insurance status; and volume of procedures performed by NPs. Sample & setting All available national datasets that included patients with cancer and provider types. Methods & variables Using prespecified consensus-driven criteria, all available administrative datasets were reviewed. The authors evaluated four that met the inclusion criteria. Results The authors' analysis identified the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program linked with Medicare claims dataset as the most appropriate to measure the contribution of NP-provided cancer care to older adults. The Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse was excluded because of the limited number of malignancies included in the data; the SEER-Medicare dataset included all malignancies. Implications for nursing Evidence demonstrates that NPs provide an unknown amount of cancer care to older adults. Further research using the SEER-Medicare dataset may yield a solution to the health issue of insufficient oncologists to care for the growing older adult population. Workforce research informs future training needs and influences policymakers' decisions, making secondary data analyses in nursing particularly important.

254 Background: Clinicians in oncology are often challenged to identify when patients with cancer are at high risk for adverse outcomes and would benefit from more intensive clinical care. Preemptive identification of these patients may improve efficiency and improve patient care. The objective of this quality improvement pilot was to prospectively validate a machine learning (ML)-based clinical tool designed to identify patients with cancer who are at high risk for an emergency department (ED) visit, and whether they met eligibility criteria for clinical services at home, such as Huntsman at Home (H@H). Methods: Patients with cancer who received care at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) between Jan. 4 and Feb. 7, 2020 were included in the analysis. For patients with HCI contact in a given week, the ML-based tool predicted the probability of an ED visit in the next 60 days to identify “high risk” patients using real-time structured EHR data (e.g. demographic characteristics, vital signs, and laboratory values). Risk of an ED visit was used as a proxy for eligibility for H@H. Patients were randomized to two cohorts to assess eligibility precision and outcome forecast precision. Eligibility precision was defined as the percentage of ML-classified high risk patients who were confirmed by a nurse practitioner to be eligible for admission to H@H. Outcome forecast precision was defined as the percentage of ML-classified high risk patients who experienced a future ED event within 60 days and was compared to the baseline prevalence of ED visits within 60 days during the same time period. The IRB determined this to be a quality improvement project. Results: This quality improvement pilot included 1,236 patients; 53% were women, median age was 65 years, and 84% were Caucasian. The most common cancers, excluding non-melanoma, were breast, prostate, lung, and myeloma. The observed prevalence of an ED visit within 60 days was 7%. The tool classified 9% of patients as high risk. The eligibility precision was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.62-0.89), demonstrating concordance with clinician assessment among patients classified as high risk. Compared to a baseline of 0.07, the outcome forecast precision was 0.22 (95% CI: 0.12-0.34) for future ED events. Conclusions: This quality improvement pilot demonstrates the potential application of an ML-based tool to identify patients with cancer who may benefit from further support through the H@H program. The approach creates a framework for ML-based tools to enhance clinical services at home.

5 Background: Hospital at Home provides acute hospital level care to patients in their homes, diminishing the need for inpatient care or emergency department (ED) use. It has been evaluated for a variety of acute and chronic conditions but not in adult oncology. Results from program evaluations have demonstrated equivalent or improved outcomes with lower health care utilization and costs and high patient satisfaction when compared to usual care. The first evaluation of an oncology Hospital at Home program in the United States, Huntsman at Home (HH) was launched in 2018 to provide acute level care after hospitalization and address emergent symptoms that arise in the home between clinic visits. We describe the structure and patient profile of HH over the first 15 months of service. Methods: We compiled data for the 169 cancer patients admitted to HH between 8/2018 and 10/2019. We examined patient characteristics, the reason for referral, team structure, services provided and provider visit pattern. Results: The 169 patients referred to HH were predominately female (62%), white (83%), with metastatic disease (79%) and an average age 62 years. The most common diagnoses were GI, lung, GU and GYN cancer. All required acute level medical care and were referred by their oncology or inpatient provider after hospitalization. The HH multidisciplinary team was led by 9 nurse practitioners (NP) partnering with palliative care hospitalists, and the patient’s oncology team. Registered nurses (RN) and other home health personnel were provided by a community-based home health agency. The most common reasons for referral were acute pain, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, infection, unstable symptoms, failure to thrive and post-surgical needs. The most common interventions provided by HH were: assessment and management of symptoms, medication monitoring and titration, monitoring lab chemistries, intravenous management and administration of medications and fluids, and wound, drain and line assessment and care. Home visits varied based on need; generally, there were 3 NP visits with 5 RN visits in the first week. Health care utilization and cost outcomes were recently reported at the ASCO Virtual Scientific meeting and demonstrated HH patients had fewer hospitalizations, shorter length of stay, decreased ED use and lower costs than the comparison group. Conclusions: HH has proven to be an effective and efficient way to successfully manage a variety of oncology acute care needs in patients’ homes averting further hospitalization or ED use. Hospital at home shows promise as an oncology care delivery model.

7000 Background: Unplanned hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits are common during cancer care. Providing acute hospital level care at home may add value by decreasing hospital and ED use. We conducted the first evaluation of an oncology Hospital-at-Home program, Huntsman at Home (H@H). Methods: The Huntsman Cancer Institute began H@H services in 2018 and accepts referral of cancer patients for acute-medical or post-surgical care at home. Patients are admitted who require continued acute level medical care after hospitalization or have emergent unstable symptoms related to treatment or disease progression that would otherwise require ED evaluation or hospitalization. Prospectively, patients referred to H@H from 8/2018 through 10/2019 were compared to a usual care comparison group (UC) drawn concurrently from patients living within the Salt Lake City metropolitan area who qualified for admission to H@H, but lived outside the service zip codes. Probability of H@H enrollment propensity scores were constructed via random forest from patient descriptors and health care utilization at admission. We used an intent-to-treat approach for analysis. Primary outcomes were hospitalizations, length of stay (LOS), ED visits and cumulative charges over 30 and 90 days post admission to either group. Comparisons were made by generalized linear models, stratified by tertiles of H@H vs. UC propensity score. Results: 367 patients, 169 H@H and 198 UC, were evaluated. The average age was 62 yrs, 85% were Caucasian, and 77% had stage IV cancer. Propensity score distributions were overlapping, demonstrating group comparability. A variety of cancers were represented; the most common being colon, gynecologic, prostate and lung cancers. Compared to UC, H@H patients were more likely to be female (61% vs 43%) and during the month prior to admission, showed a trend towards longer LOS if hospitalized (6.7 vs 5.5 days). During the first 30 days after admission, propensity stratified comparisons showed H@H patients with lower hospital LOS (mean reduction 1.19 days, p=0.022), 56% lower odds of unplanned hospitalizations (OR 0.44, p=0.001), 45% lower odds of ED visits (OR 0.55, p=0.037) and 50% lower cumulative charges (mean ratio 0.50, p

This study investigated a remote symptom monitoring intervention to examine if older participants with cancer received a similar magnitude of benefit compared with younger adults with cancer. We analyzed a longitudinal symptom monitoring intervention for 358 participants beginning a new course of chemotherapy treatment in community and academic oncology practices. The study design was a randomized control trial; participants were randomized to the intervention or usual care, the intervention was delivered during daily automated coaching. Older adults with moderate and severe symptoms derived similar benefit as those adults younger than 60 years of age, adherence to the study protocol which involved daily calls was high. There was no significant difference between the 2 age categories; on average, older adult participants made 88% of expected daily calls and younger adult participants made 90% of expected daily calls. Our results challenge the perception that older adults are unwilling or unable to use a technological tool such as interactive voice response and suggest that patient utilization may be guided by other factors, such as ease of use and perceived benefit from the intervention.

The nurse practitioner (NP) role originally developed in response to a workforce supply deficit in pediatric primary care. Subsequently, NPs have assumed a more prominent role as primary care providers in response to a decreased supply of primary care physicians. Non‒primary care (specialty care) NPs are anticipated to increase dramatically by 2025 as a result of growing demand and lack of specialty physician supply.

The quality of cancer care may be compromised in the near future because of work force issues. Several factors will impact the oncology health provider work force: an aging population, an increase in the number of cancer survivors, and expansion of health care coverage for the previously uninsured. Between October 2014 and March 2015, an electronic literature search of English language articles was conducted using PubMed(®) , the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Sciences (CINAHL(®) ), Web of Science, Journal Storage (JSTOR(®) ), Google Scholar, and SCOPUS(®) . Using the scoping review criteria, the research question was identified "How much care in oncology is provided by nurse practitioners (NPs)?" Key search terms were kept broad and included: "NP" AND "oncology" AND "workforce". The literature was searched between 2005 and 2015, using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 29 studies were identified, further review resulted in 10 relevant studies that met all criteria. Results demonstrated that NPs are utilized in both inpatient and outpatient settings, across all malignancy types and in a variety of roles. Academic institutions were strongly represented in all relevant studies, a finding that may reflect the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty work hour limitations. There was no pattern associated with state scope of practice and NP representation in this scoping review. Many of the studies reviewed relied on subjective information, or represented a very small number of NPs. There is an obvious need for an objective analysis of the amount of care provided by oncology NPs.

e18514Background: Cancer is most frequently diagnosed in adults over the age of 65 years in the U.S. Access to cancer care is unequal, and anticipated oncologist shortages could have a further nega...