Focusing On Patients

Comfort Always
(continued)

The COPE approach calls for the patient and caregiver to clearly define a problem, then gather expert information about it. Other steps include brainstorming a full range of solutions, devising a plan, identifying potential obstacles, adjusting the plan accordingly, implementing the plan and evaluating it.

“People often don’t do the first step — identify what the problem is and what they need to know to solve it — so they come up with ineffective strategies,” says John Linder, a medical social worker at UC Davis Cancer Center and co-investigator for the study. “This is a methodical problem-solving approach that always gets results.”
Meyers and Linder expect that patients and caregivers in the study will experience reduced distress, good symptom control, improved quality of life and enhanced preparation for the patient’s death. The researchers also expect the intervention to improve patients’ participation in clinical trials and result in more appropriate use of health-care resources.

If their expectations are realized, the researchers plan to develop materials that will allow other cancer centers to duplicate the approach. “If we are successful, this model can be adopted as the standard of care by cancer centers in this country,” Linder says.
Says Meyers: “Simultaneous care returns medicine to its roots. Cure sometimes. Comfort always.”