Learning Collaborative Versus Technical Assistance in Delivering a Palliative Care Program to Patients With Advanced Cancer and Their Caregivers

Running, not enrolling · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Advanced Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Metastatic Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Recurrent Malignant Solid Neoplasm

In brief

This trial studies the delivery of the ENABLE palliative care program by two different methods called a Virtual Learning Collaborative or Technical Assistance for patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with a serious illness that occurs at the same time as other medical treatment. The purpose of palliative care is to provide relief from symptoms and stress of serious illness, to help patients and their families clarify goals of care, and to focus on social support and spiritual well-being. The focus of the ENABLE palliative care program is on living well, managing stress, patient communication of their personal values and hopes for care, social support, and symptom management. This study may help doctors find the best ways to include palliative care services into their practices and the impact of palliative care on cancer patients and their caregivers' quality of life.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04062552

Run by

University of Rochester NCORP Research Base

People needed

208

Starts

2021-03-09

Expected to finish

2026-08-23

Last updated by the study team

2026-01-13

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• PRACTICE SITE: All participating practice clusters will be asked to identify one (or more) ENABLE coach as part of study eligibility to deliver the ENABLE program.
• PRACTICE SITE: Commitment of the ENABLE coach(es) to be trained to conduct the palliative care assessment (and ENABLE sessions if the practice plans to implement them).
• PRACTICE SITE: Desire to implement ENABLE, including presence of an investigator (e.g., primary affiliate principal investigator [PI], oncology physician, Cancer Care Delivery Research [CCDR] Lead) and/or program administrator/supervisor who are willing to be key contacts.
• PRACTICE SITE: Demonstrated support/buy-in from oncology physicians who are willing to enroll patients.
• PRACTICE SITE: Agreement of practice leadership and other individuals at the practice cluster to support/participate in the study activities.
• PRACTICE SITE: If necessary, willingness to participate in a phone interview to determine capacity to implement the ENABLE program.
• INDIVIDUALS AT THE PARTICIPATING PRACTICE: The ENABLE implementation team at each participating practice will include at minimum one ENABLE coach and a coordinator. Other members of the team can include the primary affiliate PI, an oncology physician or investigator, CCDR lead (if different than the coordinator, and/or the program administrator/supervisor) and other professional individuals.
• ONCOLOGY PHYSICIAN: Eligible providers at practices sites are oncology physicians (i.e., medical oncologists or radiation oncologists including trainees) caring for oncology patients. If no oncology physicians are available at the practice, other providers (e.g., advanced practice providers [APPs]) may take on the responsibilities of the oncology physician as laid out in this protocol. We do not require that all physicians at a practice setting agree to participate. Oncology physicians must work at a participating practice cluster with no plans to leave that practice site or retire at the time of enrollment into the study. Physicians (oncologists) may serve in the ENABLE coach role and perform the palliative care assessment, ENABLE sessions and/or monthly follow-up calls per practice discretion if they have completed appropriate training.
• ENABLE COACH: All participating practice clusters will be required to identify one (or more) ENABLE coaches as part of study eligibility to deliver the ENABLE program. The ENABLE coach is responsible for ensuring the ENABLE sessions and follow-up calls are completed per protocol specifications.
• ENABLE COACH: A registered nurse or advanced practice provider (including a nurse practitioner or physician assistant), a physician (e.g., medical and radiation oncologists, including oncology trainees), or other professionals (e.g., social workers, chaplains) with appropriate credentials and experience to deliver ENABLE
• ENABLE COACH: Individuals with an appropriate clinical license (i.e., a registered nurse, advanced practice provider, or physician, as defined above) may perform the palliative care assessment and any ENABLE sessions and follow-up calls the practice chooses to deliver
• ENABLE COACH: Other professionals (e.g., social workers, chaplains) may deliver ENABLE sessions and monthly follow-up calls for which their credentials and experience are appropriate
• ENABLE COACH: ENABLE coaches complete appropriate study training for any content delivered.
• PATIENTS: English-speaking as not all patient measures have been validated in other languages.
• PATIENTS: Age >= 18
• PATIENTS: Willing to complete palliative care assessment and ENABLE sessions.
• PATIENTS: Diagnosed within the last 90 days with an advanced cancer (defined as a newly diagnosed stage III/IV, recurrence, or progressive solid tumor cancer). Patients can receive any cancer treatment for their advanced cancer while participating in this study.
• The 90-day interval refers to when the patient was made aware of their diagnosis.
• PATIENTS: Expected survival of at least 6 months.
• PATIENTS: Have access to telephone that can receive incoming calls.
• PATIENTS: Able to provide informed consent.

You may not qualify if…

• PATIENTS: Received previous palliative care services. (Concurrent palliative care is allowed.)

Where it is running

• MedStar Washington Hospital Center — Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
• Holy Cross Hospital — Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
• Island Urology-Hilo — Hilo, Hawaii, United States
• Hawaii Cancer Care Inc - Waterfront Plaza — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Island Urology — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Queen's Cancer Cenrer - POB I — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Queen's Medical Center — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Straub Clinic and Hospital — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• University of Hawaii Cancer Center — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Hawaii Cancer Care Inc-Liliha — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Kuakini Medical Center — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Queen's Cancer Center - Kuakini — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• The Cancer Center of Hawaii-Liliha — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children — Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Wilcox Memorial Hospital and Kauai Medical Clinic — Lihue, Hawaii, United States
• Hawaii Cancer Care - Westridge — ‘Aiea, Hawaii, United States
• Pali Momi Medical Center — ‘Aiea, Hawaii, United States
• Queen's Cancer Center - Pearlridge — ‘Aiea, Hawaii, United States
• The Cancer Center of Hawaii-Pali Momi — ‘Aiea, Hawaii, United States
• Saint Mary's Hospital — Centralia, Illinois, United States
• SSM Health Good Samaritan — Mount Vernon, Illinois, United States
• Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines — Des Moines, Iowa, United States
• Mercy Medical Center — Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
• Trinity Health Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
• Mercy Hospital Fort Smith — Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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