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BACKGROUND: Pain is a common symptom for patients with cancer. Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) physicians are expected to be experts in both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment of pain for this patient population. Insufficient knowledge of non-pharmacologic, interventional approaches to pain management is a barrier to providing optimal care. This study assesses the feasibility and effectiveness of an interventional pain management curriculum on HPM fellow knowledge at a single institution. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to implement an interventional pain management curriculum for HPM fellows' and secondly to measure its effects on their knowledge and confidence in interventional pain management approaches. METHODS: We executed an interventional pain management curriculum for HPM fellows. The curriculum consisted of 6 fifty-minute virtual lectures. Anonymous pre- and post-curriculum surveys were used to assess curricular impact. RESULTS: Post-course surveys showed a significant increase in HPM fellows' knowledge and confidence in interventional pain management techniques. CONCLUSIONS: An interventional pain management curriculum for HPM fellows is a feasible and promising intervention to significantly impact fellows' knowledge and confidence in non-pharmacologic treatment of cancer pain.

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BACKGROUND: Ileostomy creation is associated with postoperative dehydration and readmission; however, the effect on renal function is unknown. Our goal was to characterize the impact of ileostomy creation on acute and chronic renal function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study with patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery at a tertiary referral institution (2005-2011). The relationship between ileostomy creation and acute kidney injury (AKI)-related readmission, severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) at 12 mo (glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m2), and onset of severe CKD over time was evaluated using multivariable logistic and Cox regression and adjusted using propensity score stratification. RESULTS: Among 619 patients, 84 (13%) had ileostomy. AKI-related readmission and severe CKD at 12 mo were more common among ileostomy patients (17% versus 2%, P < 0.01 and 13.3% versus 5%, P = 0.02, respectively). After propensity score adjustment, ileostomy was a significant predictor of AKI-related readmissions (odds ratio: 10.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9-27.2), severe CKD at 12 mo (odds ratio: 4.1; 95% CI, 1.4-11.9), and onset of severe CKD over time (hazard ratio: 4.2; 95% CI, 2.3-6.6). CONCLUSIONS: Ileostomy creation is associated with increased risk of AKI-related readmissions and development of severe CKD. Future studies must focus on strategies to minimize kidney injury when ileostomy is a necessary component of colorectal cancer surgery and revisiting current indications for ileostomy creation.

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IMPORTANCE: Malignant neoplasms of the hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) system constitute a significant public health problem worldwide. Treatment coordination for these tumors is challenging and can result in substandard care. Referral centers for HPB disease have been used as a strategy to improve postoperative outcomes, but their effect on accomplishing regionalization of care and improving quality of cancer care is not well known. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of implementing a multidisciplinary HPB surgical program (HPB-SP) on regionalization of care, the quality of cancer care, and surgical outcomes within an integrated health care system. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We designed a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary referral Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center within an 8-state designated VA health care region from November 23, 2005, through December 31, 2013. We compared patients with HPB tumors undergoing evaluation by the surgical oncology service before and after implementation of the HPB-SP on November 1, 2008. EXPOSURES: Implementation of the HPB-SP to improve access to specialized, multidisciplinary cancer care for veterans across the region. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Clinical and surgical volume, proportion of patients undergoing a comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation, and postoperative adverse events included as a composite outcome defined by occurrence of postoperative mortality, severe complications, and/or reoperation. RESULTS: We identified 516 patients referred to the surgical oncology service. Establishment of the HPB-SP resulted in significant increases in regional referrals (17.3% vs 44.4%; P < .001), median monthly clinic visits (5 vs 20; P < .001), and median number of HPB surgical procedures (3 vs 9; P = .003) per quarter. Multidisciplinary assessment increased from 52.6% to 70.0% (P < .001). When we compared patients with hepatocellular carcinoma before (n = 55) and after (n = 131) implementation, more patients received any treatment (35 [63.6%] vs 109 [83.2%]; P = .004) with increased use of liver resection (0 vs 20 [15.3%]; P = .002), percutaneous ablation (0 vs 15 [11.5%]; P = .009), and oncosurgical strategies (0 vs 16 [12.2%]; P = .007) after implementation. Among patients with colorectal liver metastases (29 before vs 76 after implementation), a significant shift occurred from use of ablations (5 [17.2%] vs 3 [3.9]%; P = .02) to resections (6 [20.7%] vs 40 [52.6%]; P = .003), and use of perioperative chemotherapy increased (5 of 11 [45.5%] vs 33 of 43 [76.7%]; P = .01). The HPB-SP was associated with lower odds of postoperative adverse events, even after adjusting for important covariates (odds ratio, 0.29 [95% CI, 0.12-0.68]; P = .005), and a high rate of margin-negative liver (94.6%) and pancreatic (90.0%) resections. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The development of an HPB-SP led to regionalization of care and improved quality of cancer care and surgical outcomes. Establishment of regional programs within the VA system can help improve the quality of care for patients presenting with complex cancers requiring subspecialized care.

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