Enhancing palliative care patient access to psychological counseling through outreach telehealth services

Diana Guzman, Sujin Ann-Yi, Eduardo Bruera, Jimin Wu, Janet L. Williams, John Najera, Monica Raznahan, Cindy L. Carmack

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Context: Palliative care encompasses an interdisciplinary team, including mental health care professionals, to address psychological distress of cancer patients. Objectives: To present the implementation of an outreach counseling program via videoconferencing or telephone to patients receiving care in an outpatient palliative care clinic and to compare patients using this service to those who only received psychological counseling in our outpatient clinic. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of cancer patients seen for psychology counseling services in an outpatient supportive care center between June 2015 and March 2017. Results: We reviewed 2072 unique patients (52% of the total patients seen at the outpatient Supportive Care Center), who had 4567 total counseling encounters across outreach and outpatient settings. A total of 452 (22%) patients participated in a combination of outpatient and outreach counseling services. Patients who participated in outreach services had significantly more encounters (311 [69%] had two to five sessions) compared with those who had outpatient services only (1137 [70%] had one session only) (P <.001). Outreach patients also had shorter times between the initial and follow-up encounters (median 14 days) compared with those who had outpatient services only (median 30 days) (P <.0001). Conclusions: Outreach telehealth counseling services was found to enhance palliative care patient access to psychological counseling. These services represent an additional modality for providing continuous psychological care.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)132-138
Number of pages7
JournalPsycho-oncology
Volume29
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • cancer
  • counseling
  • oncology
  • outpatient palliative care
  • palliative care medicine
  • palliative care psychology
  • psycho-oncology
  • psychological distress in palliative care
  • supportive care
  • telemental health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Oncology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

MD Anderson CCSG core facilities

  • Biostatistics Resource Group

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