Telehospice for Cancer Patients Discharged from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Western Kenya

Context: Worldwide, most patients lack access to hospice services.

Objectives: Assess the feasibility of telephone monitoring (Telehospice) in providing symptom management for patients discharged from a tertiary care hospital in Western Kenya.

Methods: Inclusion criteria included adults with cancer no longer eligible for chemo-radiation and receiving opioid therapy. Thirty patients were enrolled in a weekly monitoring program assessing physical symptoms and patient and caregiver distress. The participants also had access to a 24-hour hotline. Symptom assessment included 18 questions with 8 from the African Palliative Outcome Scale. Participants were followed for eight weeks or until death or admission to an inpatient hospital or hospice.

Results: The primary objective was participation in weekly calls, and we obtained 100% participation. A secondary objective was the use of "comfort kits" which contained 30 doses of six medications. Most patients utilized one or more of the provided medications, with high usage of bisacodyl, paracetamol, and omeprazole. While 12% of weekly calls and 24% of hotline calls led to medication changes, participants continued to express worry and there was only a modest decrease in pain scores despite having morphine available throughout the follow-up period. Family confidence in providing care and access to information remained high. At the end of the eight-weeks of observation, eight participants were alive, 10 died at home, and 12 were admitted to an in-patient facility.

Conclusion: Patient and family participation in Telehospice is feasible and may provide an interim solution to managing end-of-life patients who lack access to home hospice.