research

J. Randall Curtis

Professor of Medicine; Section Head, PCCM-Harborview Medical Center

MD, MPH

Faculty Web Page

Last updated:  August 13, 2010

 

Research Focus

Dr. Curtis directs a research program – the End-of-life Care Research Program – focused on measuring and improving the quality of palliative and end-of-life care for patients with critical illness, chronic lung disease, and other chronic illnesses. This research program focuses on communication with patients and their families and has developed a number of measurement tools for measuring quality of care and quality of communication as well as several interventions designed to improve communication and quality of care. The program uses a series of quantitative methods including survey research and medical record review as well as qualitative methods including focus groups, semi-structured interviews and direct observation. Dr. Curtis has also been involved in research projects focused on measuring and improving other aspects of quality of care and quality of life. More information is available at http://depts.washington.edu/eolcare.

 

Relevant Publications

Curtis JR, Engelberg RA, Wenrich MD, Shannon SE, Treece PD, Rubenfeld GD. Missed opportunities during family conferences about end-of-life care in the intensive care unit. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2005; 171:844-849.

Lautrette A, Darmon M, Megarbane B, Jolly LM, Chevret S, Adrie C, Barnoud D, Bleichner G, Bruel C, Choukroun G, Curtis JR, Fieux F, Galliot R, Garrouste-Orgeas M, Georges H, Goldgran-Toledano D, Jourdain M, Loubert G, Reignier J, Saidi F, Souweine B, Vincent F, Barnes NK, Pouchard F, Schlemmer B, Azoulay E. A communication strategy and brochure for relatives of patients dying in the ICU. New England Journal of Medicine 2007; 356:469-478.

Curtis JR, Engelberg RA, Young JP, Vig EK, Reinke LF, Wenrich MD, McGrath B, McCown E, Back AL. An approach to understanding the interaction of hope and desire for explicit prognostic information among individuals with severe COPD or advanced cancer. Journal of Palliative Medicine 2008; 11:610-620.

Curtis JR, Treece PD, Nielsen EL, Downey L, Shannon SE, Braungardt T, Owens D, Steinberg KP, Engelberg RA. Integrating palliative and critical care: Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2008; 178:269-275.

Gerstel E, Engelberg RA, Koepsell K, Curtis JR. Duration of withdrawal of life support in the ICU and association with family satisfaction. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2008; 178:798-804.

Thornton JD, Pham K, Engelberg RA, Jackson JC, Curtis JR. Families with limited English proficiency receive less information and support in interpreted ICU family conferences. Critical Care Medicine 2009; 37:89-95.

Ehlenbach WJ, Barnato AE, Curtis JR, Kreuter W, Koepsell TD, Deyo RA, Stapleton RD. The epidemiology of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation in older adults: 1992-2995. New England Journal of Medicine 2009; 361:22-31.

White DB, Malvar G, Karr J, Lo B, Curtis JR. Expanding the paradigm of the physician’s role in surrogate decision-making: An empirically derived Framework. Critical Care Medicine 2010; 38:743-750.

Fowler R, Noyahr LA, Thornton JD, Pinto R, Kahn JM, Adhikari NKJ, Dodek PM, Khan NA, Kalb T, Hill A, O’Brien JM, Evans D, Curtis JR. The association between health insurance status and access, care delivery, and outcomes for critically ill patients: a systematic review. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2010; 181:1003-1011.

Ehlenbach WJ, Hough CL, Crane PK, Haneuse SJ, Carson SS, Curtis JR, Larson EB. Association between acute care and critical illness hospitalization and cognitive function in older adults. JAMA 2010; 303:763-770. Ehlenbach WJ, Barnato AE, Curtis JR, Kreuter W, Koepsell TD, Deyo RA,


 Active Funding

Funding Source

Project Title

Investigator Role

Funding Dates

 NINR RO1

An ICU Intervention to    Improve End-of-Life Care

 PI

 4/1/01-3/31/13

 NINR RO1

Improving patient outcomes in end-of-life care provided by physicians and nurses

 PI

 4/1/07-3/31/12

 NHLBI K24

Improving Quality of Communication about End-of-Life

 PI

 7/01/02-6/30/12

NHLBI LOTT

Long-term Oxygen Treatment Trial

Co-I

10/31/06-10/30/12

 

Current Mentees

Name

Degree

Project
 William Ehlenbach  MD, MSc  Cognitive outcomes after critical illness
 Erin Kross  MD, MSc  Improving outcomes for patients and families after critical
  illness
 Kevin Patel  MD, MSc  Improving end-of-life care for patients dying in the setting of
  full support
 Christopher
 Seymour		  MD, MSc  Improving delivery of critical care in the out-of-hospital setting


Past Mentees

Name

Degree

Current title

Location
 David Au  MD, MSc  Associate Professor  University of Washington
 Chris Goss  MD, MSc  Associate Professor  University of Washington
 Teal Hallstrand  MD, MSc  Associate Professor  University of Washington
 Vincent Fan  MD, MSc  Associate Professor  University of Washington
 Jacqueline Chang  MD, MPH  Attending Physician  Scripps Clinic
 Todd Freudenberger  MD, MSc  Private Practice  Bellevue, WA
 Kim Marquis  MD, MSc  Private Practice  Bozeman, MT
 J. Daryl Thornton  MD, MPH  Assistant Professor  Case-Western University
 Wendi Norris  MD, MSW  Private Practice  Boise, ID
 Elizabeth Knauft  MD, MPH  Private Practice  Maine
 Renee Stapleton  MD, MSc, PhD  Assistant Professor  University of Vermont
 Elizabeth Vig  MD, MPH  Assistant Professor  University of Washington
 Richard Wall  MD, MPH  Private Practice  Seattle, WA
 Cynthia Gries  MD, MSc  Assistant Professor  Unversity of Pittsburgh
 Douglas B. White  MD, MSc  Associate Professor  University of Pittsburgh
 Jonathon McDonaugh  MD  Cardiology Fellowship  University of Minnesota
 Heather Fraser West  MD  Oncology Fellowship  University of Virginia
 Naomi Hodde  MD  Acting Instructor  University of Washington
 Brad Glavan  MD  Pulmonary CCM
 Fellowship		  University of Washington
 Lawrence Ho  MD  Pumonary CCM
 Fellowship		  Stanford University
 Tristan Osborn  MD  Chief Resident,
 Internal Medicine 		 University of Washington
 Sarah Walters  MD  Pulmonary CCM
 Fellowship		  University of California,
  San Francisco
 Robert Dickson  MD  Chief Resident,
 Internal Medicine 		 University of Washington
 Hsiu-Fang Hsieh  RN, PhD  Assistant Professor  Fooyin University, Taiwan
 Jeanne Chan  PharmD, MPH  Pharmacist  Harborview Medical Center
 Lynn Reinke  RN, MN, PhD  Post-doctoral Fellow  VAPSHS, University of
 Washington
 Andew McCormick  MSW, PhD  Doctoral Student  Portland State University
 Ardith Doorenbos  RN, PhD  Assistant Professor,
 School of Nursing 		 University of Washington
       


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