Serious illness conversation and end of life care utilization at an academic medical center.

Authors

null

William P. Tompkins

Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

William P. Tompkins, Christine Agnes Ciunci, Suzanne Walker, Kelly Patton, Amy Schwartz, Christopher Davella

Organizations

Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Research Funding

No funding received
None

Background: Hospice has been associated with improved quality of life for patients, cost savings, and reduction in caregiver-grief-related depression. While cancer patients make up a plurality of hospice utilizers nationally, many patients are only on hospice for a limited period (in Medicare patients, a median of 18 days). Studies suggest engaging cancer patients to discuss goals and priorities using the Serious Illness Conversation (SIC) Guide has a positive impact on prognostic understanding and end-of-life planning. More frequent utilization of SICs may prompt earlier enrollment of oncology patients in hospice when appropriate. Methods: We identified cancer patients enrolled in hospice at the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center from 2019-2020 after all providers received SIC training. Patient demographics, cancer diagnosis, type of hospice (home versus inpatient), SIC usage, palliative care referral patterns and time on hospice were abstracted. Results: 104 patients were enrolled in hospice during the study period. The majority of patients were female (51%). 45% were Caucasian, and 31% were African American. The most common cancer diagnoses were thoracic (52%) and gastrointestinal (32%) malignancies. 85 patients (82%) were enrolled on home hospice and 19 patients (18%) inpatient hospice. Palliative care usage included 50 inpatient and 24 outpatient consultations; 30 patients (29%) in the cohort never utilized palliative care. 52 (50%) of patients did not have a SIC. 47% (40 patients) enrolled in home hospice had an SIC while 63% (12 patients) on inpatient hospice had an SIC. The median time interval between a patient’s SIC conversation and hospice enrollment was longer in home hospice patients (74 days) compared to inpatient hospice (33 days). Patients on home hospice spent an average of 44 days on hospice versus 2 days in the inpatient setting. Conclusions: Half of the patients at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center enrolled in hospice during the study period did not have an SIC, and 29% did not see palliative care prior to starting hospice. The median time from SIC initiation to hospice enrollment was significantly longer for patients on home hospice compared to inpatient hospice suggesting a need for earlier SIC interventions. Patients enrolled in inpatient hospice spent a considerably shorter period of time on hospice also underscoring the importance of earlier end of life planning. Our findings indicate a need for additional interventions to facilitate earlier SIC conversations in the outpatient setting and a demand for increased palliative care access.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session A: Cost, Value, and Policy; Health Equity and Disparities; Patient Experience

Track

Cost, Value, and Policy,Technology and Innovation in Quality of Care,Health Care Access, Equity, and Disparities,Patient Experience,Quality, Safety, and Implementation Science

Sub Track

Integration and Delivery of Palliative and Supportive Care

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 28; abstr 29)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2020.39.28_suppl.29

Abstract #

29

Poster Bd #

Online Only

Abstract Disclosures

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