Publications

The following is a list of selected publications of PDX-PCCCRT, not our full body of work.

2018

  • Telemedicine Coverage of Intensive Care Units: A Narrative Review. 2018 Aug.
    • The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the different organizational models of ICU telemedicine and factors that have influenced its adoption, and to review the existing literature to consider whether it has lived up to its promise. We conclude by suggesting future directions to fill in some of the existing gaps in the evidence.
  • Military Factors Associated with Smoking in Veterans. 2018 May.
    • We aimed to identify military-specific factors combined with sociodemographic factors for ever smoking and current smoking among Veterans to inform future interventions. Findings from this study that exposure to dead/dying/wounded soldiers, service era, duration of service, service-connected disability status, and enrollment in VA care all influence smoking in Veterans, can inform prevention and cessation efforts in part by encouraging alternative healthy habits or cessation techniques in subgroups of Veterans with particular military backgrounds.
  • Patient-clinician communication among patients with stage I lung cancer. 2018 May.
    • Limited data exist about patient-centered communication (PCC) and patient-centered outcomes among patients who undergo surgery or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to examine the relationship between PCC and decision-making processes among NSCLC patients, using baseline data from a prospective, multicenter study. Higher quality PCC was associated with higher self-efficacy and lower decisional conflict. Self-efficacy and decisional conflict may influence subsequent health outcomes.
  • The Association of ICU Acuity With Outcomes of Patients at Low Risk of Dying. 2018 Mar.
    • We evaluated whether ICU acuity was associated with outcomes of low mortality-risk patients. We hypothesized that admission to high-acuity ICUs would be associated with worse outcomes. This hypothesis was based on two possibilities: 1) high-acuity ICUs may have a culture of aggressive therapy that could lead to potentially avoidable complications and 2) high-acuity ICUs may focus attention toward the many sicker patients and away from the fewer low-risk patients. Admission to high-acuity ICUs is associated with better outcomes among low mortality-risk patients.

2017

  • Identifying Distinct Subgroups of ICU Patients: A Machine Learning Approach. 2017 Oct.
    • Tests the effectiveness of a “machine learning approach” to empirically identify subgroups of ICU patients with similar needs and trajectories. The study found that the machine learning approach found important differences between subgroups of ICU patients that are not typically revealed by admitting diagnosis or severity of illness alone.

2016

  • Longitudinal Assessment of Distress among Veterans with Incidental Pulmonary Nodules. 2016 Nov.
    • Many patients who are diagnosed with pulmonary nodules express increased distress. This study asks if the increased distress is mitigated by participant-reported quality of communication. It finds that most participants experience mild distress at least once. High-quality nodule communication decreased the odds of distress, and low-quality communication of participants’ values and preferences increased odds of distress. These findings suggest that effective communication can indeed lower the distress experienced by patients diagnosed with pulmonary nodules.

2015

  • Primary Care Providers and a System Problem: A Qualitative Study of Clinicians Caring for Patients With Incidental Pulmonary Nodules. 2015 Dec.
    • Recent increases in lung cancer screening has led to the increased detection and diagnosis of pulmonary nodules. Interviews of clinicians reveal that many primary care providers believe they have inadequate information to counsel patients regarding lung nodules despite a desire for said information. PCPs often lack the systemic resources that would lead to more effective discussions with patients about incidental pulmonary nodules. The researchers conclude that pulmonologists should assist PCPs in providing accurate information to counsel patients and manage conversations about the risk of cancer.

2014

  • Patient-centered outcomes among lung cancer screening recipients with computed tomography: a systematic review. 2014 Jul.
    • In order to determine the consequences of screening with LDCT and its results on patient-centered outcomes, researchers performed a content analysis of randomized controlled trials involving asymptomatic adults. LDCT lung cancer screening was associated with short-term psychologic discomfort but not distress, worry, or health-related quality of life. In terms of results, false-positives were associated with short-term increases in distress before returning to levels similar to people with negative results.

2013