Dr Habib on Developments in Palliative Care For Patients With Cancer

M. Hamza Habib, MD, JD, MBA, FACP, FAAHPM, FRCPI, MRCP, director, Outpatient Palliative Medicine and Cancer Pain Service, associate professor, medicine, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, RWJBarnabus Health, discusses the development of novel technology-based strategies to improve palliative cancer for patients with cancer.

There is a substantial focus on advancing palliative care within the cancer space, with an emphasis on leveraging virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve patient quality of life, Habib begins. Because patients with cancer will experience a multitude of pain-related symptoms throughout their disease and treatment journey, this research aims to enhance symptom management through innovative technological solutions, he states.

An area of interest in this realm of research focuses on collaborating with an external vendor to develop a variety of VR modules, Habib details. These modules are designed to provide patients with a virtual environment where they can navigate and document their pain levels, as well as track their usage of pain medications, he explains. Preliminary data from this initiative has shown encouraging results, indicating the potential utility of VR for effectively managing pain and improving quality of life for patients, Habib reports.

In addition to patient-centric interventions, innovations in palliative care also center around improving the caregiver experience, Habib continues. It is important to acknowledge the challenges faced by caregivers in managing both the patient's well-being and the additional responsibilities often delegated to them due to the patient's decreased ability to complete average daily tasks, Habib notes. Researchers are developing app-based technologies to potentially alleviate some of these difficulties. These apps, which are designed in collaboration with Rutgers School of Public Health, aim to enhance the quality of care provided and improve the overall satisfaction and experience of caregivers, Habib says

By addressing both patient and caregiver needs through technological solutions, this research signifies the importance of a holistic approach to palliative care, Habib concludes. Such strategies may improve the overall well-being of individuals navigating cancer and its treatment.