Effects of Early Palliative Care Integration on Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma

This is a pilot study with a prospective cohort design, and based in the outpatient or ambulatory care setting. Each participant will be followed for 12 months. Twenty eligible patients will be enrolled, and within eight weeks of diagnosis. Patients will meet with a member of the outpatient PC team, which consists of board-certified PC physicians, advance practice providers and nurse care coordinators, within three weeks of enrollment. Additional visits may be scheduled at the discretion of participants, oncologists or PC providers and participants will receive routine oncologic care throughout the study period. The primary objective of this study is to obtain preliminary data on the effects of early PC involvement in a cohort of patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic MM The secondary objectives of this study are to assess self-reported QOL, estimate the change in QOL relative to baseline, estimate number of participants with self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, to determine if monthly PC visits are feasible for participants, and to estimate health services utilization.