Internal Medicine

Palliative Care Research

Palliative care research at UCLA and the VA spans investigations of quality measurement, implementation science, innovative technologies and more. This work is funded by VA Health Systems Research, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Palliative Care Grants

  • Improving Palliative Measurement Application for Patients with Advanced Cancer with Computer Assisted Abstraction Study (VA HSR&D IIR 17-277): This study aims to produce veteran- and family-informed priorities for a balanced measure set for palliative and end-of-life care for patients with advanced cancer and pilot key measures.
  • Population-based comparison of evidence-based, patient-centered advance care planning interventions on Advance Directive Completion, Goal Concordant Care, and Caregiver Outcomes for Patients with Advanced Illness (PCORI PLC-1609-36291): This study collaborated closely with the UC Office of the President and Patient, Caregiver, and other key stakeholders to implement a cluster randomized comparative effectiveness trial of 3 real world, scalable advance care planning interventions among 50 primary care clinics across 3 UC Health sites.
  • Improving Implementation of Outpatient Goals of Care Conversations for Veterans with Serious Illness (VA HSR&D IIR 19-018): This study identifies strategies to improve the Life-Sustaining Treatment Decisions Initiative implementation in the outpatient setting among Veterans with advanced lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, dementia, and chronic renal failure.
  • Integrating Veteran-Centered Care for Advanced Liver Disease (VA HSR&D IIR 21-230-2): This study employs a whole person, Veteran-centered approach that identifies Veterans with advanced liver disease using a population-based health management system, and integrates curative and early supportive care using a virtual care counselor based at a liver transplant center to discuss patients’ understanding of illness severity and prognosis, identify priorities and care preferences, with a goal of aligning curative and supportive care options to achieve patient priorities.
  • Randomized Trial of Mobile Application to Improve Health-Related Outcomes in Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer (DOD-Defense Research and Engineering LC230562): In this study, which is being conducted at the VA and UCLA, we partner with the lead site at Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center to examine the efficacy of a supportive care mobile application, THRIVE, to improve symptoms, coping skills, and quality of life in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer or extensive stage small cell lung cancer.
  • The Impact of Physician and Health System Factors on the Quality of Care for Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias at the End of Life (NIH-NIA R01 AG068633): This study aims to identify key physician and health system factors associated with the quality of care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias at the end of life.
  • Personalized End-of-Life Care in Safety-Net Hospitals: Implementation of the 3 Wishes Project (NIH-NINR R01NR020773): This study implements the 3 Wishes Project in safety net hospitals, thereby improving end-of-life care for underserved patients, minimizing negative psychological symptoms for families, and decreasing burnout for nurses. The findings from this study will lay the foundation for broader dissemination and adoption of the 3 Wishes Project in diverse healthcare settings.