JAMA Network: Nurse and Social Worker Palliative Telecare Team and Quality of Life in Patients With COPD, Heart Failure, or Interstitial Lung Disease

JAMA Network: Nurse and Social Worker Palliative Telecare Team and Quality of Life in Patients With COPD, Heart Failure, or Interstitial Lung Disease

A study found receiving care from a palliative telecare team resulted in more improvements in quality of life than usual care among patients with COPD, interstitial lung disease or heart failure. In a single-blind, randomized trial of two Veterans Administration health care systems, researchers split the groups into patients that received palliative telecare from a nurse and social worker team (ADAPT intervention) and usual care (educational handout). Researchers found more improvement in COPD health status and heart failure health status at 6 months among those in the ADAPT group vs. the usual care group.