A System for Interactive Assessment and Management in Palliative Care

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Background: Essential to high-quality palliative care assessment and management is the availability of psychometrically-sound and clinically-relevant screening, diagnosis, and outcome evaluation tools that will enable healthcare providers to attain optimal patient evaluation, prognosis, treatment selection, patient satisfaction, and quality of life improvement. We propose to develop a patient-centered, model-driven, evidence-based system called the System for Interactive Assessment and Management in Palliative Care (SIAM-PC) using innovative methodologies and technologies. Aims: Our four distinct but related specific aims are to: 1) identify and refine the domains of palliative care, using existing theoretical frameworks as a guide; 2) compile the items for multidimensional palliative care item bank, drawing from existing measures and supplementing with newly written items; 3) empirically construct a palliative care item bank using item response theory (IRT); and 4) pilot test a computerized adaptive testing (CAT) platform to dynamically administer palliative care assessment in clinical settings. Methods: First, we will identify and refine the key domains of palliative care, guided by existing frameworks, from in-depth individual interviews (n=50; 20 patients, 20 family members and 10 clinicians) and literature review (Aim 1). Second, we will compile items pertinent to these domains from existing measures, writing new items for un-covered domains (Aim 2). Third, we will test these items by collecting and analyzing data from patients (n=200) receiving palliative (Aim 3). Finally, we will pilot test the CAT system (n=40) in clinical practice (Aim 4). Outcomes: At the end of this R21 project, we expect that (1) the conceptual model of palliative care measurement can be improved; (2) the initial sets of palliative care domains/items can be constructed; (3) items displaying DIF can be identified and revised; and (4) the CAT prototype will demonstrate how the system should be implemented in clinical settings. Palliative care is a major public health concern. There is significant consensus and ample evidence in the literature to call for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to address this concern. This comprehensive assessment and care is demanding in that it depends upon multiple sources of information, and yet the practicalities of real-life care depend upon concise information. Our proposed study is to create valid methods to connect comprehensive assessment with concise information in patient assessment and care.