Bonny Morris, PhD, RN, MSPH

Invited discussant Bonny Morris, PhD, RN, MSPH, of the American Cancer Society, underscored the significance of the study’s findings for the veteran community.

“There are more than 50,000 veterans diagnosed with cancer each year, with the most common cancers being prostate, lung, and colorectal,” said Dr. Morris, who noted disparities in incidence, clinical stage, and survival for Black veterans. “Common challenges faced by veterans include availability and distance to specialized care services, perceived stigma, and potential job impact.”

According to Dr. Morris, the Engagement of Patients with Advanced Cancer intervention revealed significant benefits of having proactive end-of-life goals-of-care discussions. “As a former critical care oncology nurse, I can say it is not effective to have these conversations while you’re actively doing chest compressions. Having these conversations earlier supports care that is concordant with preferences, resulting in lower distress; better quality of life for both the patient and caregiver; decreased emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and life-sustaining treatment; and increased symptom management,” said Dr. Morris.

“This has been documented in the general population and observed in the study with veterans,” she continued. “I also want to emphasize the importance of nonclinical support on clinical outcomes and how these professional roles maximize the health-care team’s efficiency and help everyone work to the top of their licensure.” 

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Morris reported no conflicts of interest.