title: Assessing patient care in palliative care using the healthcare matrix.
abstract: The healthcare matrix is a novel assessment tool that facilitates systematic examination of patient cases using criteria established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Institute of Medicine. It is particularly useful for analyzing complex cases, although its use in the palliative care setting has not been documented. We describe here the use of the healthcare matrix to examine the healthcare encounters of a 63 year-old patient with advanced cancer. The healthcare matrix helped us to dissect the physical, psychosocial, logistical, professional, and ethical aspects of care, and to highlight multiple opportunities for quality improvement. In addition to the case example we will be discussing the advantages and disadvantages for using the healthcare matrix and its potential utility in palliative care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care & Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arthur
authors.forename: Jung Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Doris C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruera
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hui
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D001201:Ascites / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D018450:Disease Progression; D005743:Gastrectomy; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D057240:Patient Preference; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce