Implementation of a Pharmacist-Based, Post-Chemotherapy Follow-up Clinic

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of pharmacists on reducing chemotherapy-related side effects by providing education before and after patients receive intravenous chemotherapy at one of Cedars-Sinai outpatient infusion centers.

Participants will be interviewed via telephone within 7 business days after receiving intravenous chemotherapy from the outpatient cancer center infusion clinic.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Follow-up phone interview

Detailed Description

The study involves participation at a single timepoint only.

Participants who consented to participate and are considered eligible will be interviewed by a pharmacist via phone at approximately 7 business days after receiving intravenous chemotherapy infusion. Phone call will be made between the hours of 9am - 6pm on Monday - Saturday. Calls are anticipated to last between 15 to 20 minutes. Participants will be asked if they have experienced any adverse events since the infusion, whether or not they have had any barriers taking supportive care medications, and if the patient understands how to manage potential adverse events. If applicable, participants will be provided further education on optimizing adverse events, guided on proper medication administration times, and will be provided with non-pharmacological clinical pearls to minimize chemotherapy-related side effects and optimize supportive care management.

If unable to reach the participant or caregiver after three attempts, the participant will be considered ineligible. Participants can decline participation at any time during the phone call.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 40

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90048
      • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult cancer patients who initiated treatment with intravenous chemotherapy

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• At least 18 years old
• Diagnosed with cancer and is receiving treatment with intravenous chemotherapy
• Treatment initiated at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Samuel Oschin Cancer Center (SOCC) or Cedars-Sinai Cancer Beverly Hills (CSCBH)
• English-speaking or lives with English-speaking person
• Access to a working phone

Exclusion Criteria:

• Received follow-up calls through other specialty pharmacy program
• History of infusion related reactions
• Declined participation on follow-up interview
• Age less than 18 years old
• Non-English speaking
• Electronic health record flagged for research opt out

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Intervention group; Participants receive a follow-up phone call from a pharmacist approximately 7 business days after receiving intravenous chemotherapy infusion	Behavioral: Follow-up phone interview; Follow-up phone interview within 7 business days after receiving intravenous chemotherapy; Other Names: Follow-up call
Control group; Participants do not receive a follow-up phone call from a pharmacist after receiving intravenous chemotherapy infusion

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Hospital admission related to chemotherapy within 30-day post treatment	Number of hospital admission related to chemotherapy	30 days after receiving the first intravenous chemotherapy

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Suwicha Limvorasak, PharmD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Patel SD, Nguyen PAA, Bachler M, Atkinson B. Implementation of postdischarge follow-up telephone calls at a comprehensive cancer center. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2017 Jun 1;74(11 Supplement 2):S42-S46. doi: 10.2146/ajhp160805.
• Nguyen PAA, Enwere E, Gautreaux S, Lin H, Tverdek F, Lu M, Cao H, Chase J, Roux R. Impact of a pharmacy-driven transitions-of-care program on postdischarge healthcare utilization at a national comprehensive cancer center. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2018 Sep 15;75(18):1386-1393. doi: 10.2146/ajhp170747. Epub 2018 Jul 31.
• Cebollero J, LaFollette JA, Walton SM, Adams Curry M. Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Developed, Nurse-Driven Protocol for Management of Parenteral Anticancer Therapy Infusion Reactions in an Ambulatory Infusion Center. J Oncol Pharm Pract. 2023 Jun;29(4):802-809. doi: 10.1177/10781552221079855. Epub 2022 Feb 14.
• Crannage AJ, Hennessey EK, Challen LM, Stevens AM, Berry TM. Implementation of a Discharge Education Program to Improve Transitions of Care for Patients at High Risk of Medication Errors. Ann Pharmacother. 2020 Jun;54(6):561-566. doi: 10.1177/1060028019896377. Epub 2019 Dec 21.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 20, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): April 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): July 28, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 14, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 9, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Pharmacist; Follow up clinic
• Other Study ID Numbers: Study00002683

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No