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Effectiveness of the Supportive and Palliative Care Review Kit (SPARK) for Cancer Patients in the Acute Hospital

NCT03330509 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 7514

Last updated 2022-04-08

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Introduction

There is a rising need for palliative care services in Singapore due to a rapidly ageing population and an increasing incidence of cancer. Current existing resources are inadequate - novel models of care are needed to expand access to palliative care without requiring significantly more specialist palliative care manpower.

Oncologist-driven referrals to a palliative care consultation service is the norm worldwide, including Singapore. This results in variable access to palliative care due to differences in referral practices. Palliative care involvement is also often delayed. In this study, the investigators propose to test Supportive and Palliative care Review Kit (SPARK) - a novel integrated model of care in which the palliative care team co-rounds with the medical oncology team.

Specific Aims and Hypothesis

This study aims to evaluate the impact of SPARK compared to usual care. The study investigators hypothesize that SPARK will result in more advanced cancer patients having access to palliative care, and at the same time operate at lower net cost. The study investigators also hypothesize that the improved efficiency of SPARK will result in shorter hospital length of stay for stage 4 cancer patients.

Methods

A cluster randomized trial with step wedged design will be used to compare SPARK to usual care. Data will be collected on health services utilization and access to palliative care services. Net costs will also be compared between SPARK and usual care. Semi-structured interviews with patients and healthcare professionals will be used to explore differences in experiences of healthcare provision between both models of care.

Importance

Singapore has a rising prevalence of cancer patients who require palliative care input, but only a minority are able to access it at present. If the SPARK model of care proves to be a scalable and cost-effective way of expanding access to palliative care, more cancer patients can benefit from palliative care.

Conditions

  • Health Services Research

Interventions

OTHER

SPARK intervention

An integrated model of care (SPARK care) in which the palliative care team co-rounds with the medical oncology team, supporting them in their delivery of basic palliative care, seamlessly stepping in and out to deliver specialist palliative care directly to patients when needed.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Singapore General Hospital

    collaborator OTHER

  • Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

    collaborator OTHER

  • National Cancer Centre, Singapore

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
21 Years
Max Age
110 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2017-12-01
Primary Completion
2020-06-30
Completion
2021-12-30

Countries

  • Singapore

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03330509 on ClinicalTrials.gov