- One of six Tier 2 Grants funded in part by the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Community Partnership Program
- Objective is to generate data that supports expanding service coverage for hospice patients
Hillsboro, Oregon, Jan. 31, 2019—Care Partners Hospice & Palliative announced today that their project: Impact of Access to Single Fraction Radiation Therapy on Cancer Patients Enrolling in Hospice was awarded a grant supported by the Community Partnership Program. Single fraction radiation is included in standard of care for patients enrolled in a palliative benefit, but is not currently available to hospice patients without revoking enrollment. This novel effort to document single fraction radiation outcomes in people with advanced illness will evaluate impact on daily functioning, quality of life, and pain management including need for opioid pain medications.
Care Partners CEO Andy Kyler commented: “We are honored to receive this grant, which we hope will show the benefit of palliative radiation in patients with advanced cancer. Patients enrolled on our hospice will have access to single fraction radiation and associated medical transportation at no cost. As a non-profit founded over 35 years ago to care for people with cancer, we have expanded our services but continue to focus resources on this complex, high-need population and their families.”
Timur Mitin, MD, Radiation Oncologist who serves as Medical Director of the Tuality/OHSU Cancer Center added: “It is novel for hospice patients to have an opportunity to participate in a clinical study, particularly one that includes several important near-term outcomes. We appreciate Care Partners’ interest in collaborating with us on this research, and we have redesigned our clinic flow so that hospice patients can be evaluated and treated on the same day, within a period of a few hours, to make the process as patient-centered as possible. ”
For medically eligible patients on service with Care Partners who choose to enroll in the study, single fraction radiation will be provided primarily by Tuality/OHSU Cancer Center. Outcomes will be documented by Care Partners nursing staff. The study is planned to start at the end of the first quarter, and will be offered in Care Partners’ five county service area. Comparing outcomes of those who elect treatment with those who do not will generate new information to help future patients. If the study meets its objective of demonstrating benefit in the hospice population, the data will be shared with payers, with the goal of adding palliative radiation to the covered hospice benefit.
About Care Partners
Care Partners offers both palliative care and “open access” hospice, with specialized options for cancer patients such as image-guided fluid removal and proprietary kits for managing specific symptoms. For over 35 years, their non-profit mission has been to provide “Exceptional Care, without Exception”. Care Partners is Medicare-certified and accredited by the Oregon Hospice & Palliative Care Association, and were chosen by their employees for the 5th year as one of the 100 Best Non-Profits to Work For. Care Partners is a founding member of the Oregon Non-Profit Hospice Alliance (ONHA), which includes community-based organizations across the state working together to bring the best supportive care to all Oregonians. For more information, please visit www.carepartnersor.org
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