Concurrent Hospice Healthcare Utilization in the Hematology/Oncology Veteran’s Affairs Patient Population

Abstract

Objectives: Concurrent care is a unique care delivery system that allows patients to receive disease modifying treatments and other supportive interventions while also receiving the traditional benefits of hospice care. The objectives of our observational study were to examine health care utilization, use of cancer-directed therapies and palliative interventions, and location of death in patients enrolled in concurrent care. Methods: 72 hematology-oncology patients at the Hines Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) who enrolled in concurrent care from 12/2018-4/2021 were reviewed. Data were summarized with descriptive statistics including medians and percentages. Results: A minority of patients received cytotoxic chemotherapy (27.8%), immunotherapy (20.8%), palliative radiation (20.9%), blood products (11.1%), or invasive pain procedures (4.2%). Patients also used fewer cancer-directed treatments as they approached end of life (24.4% within 30 days of death compared to 13.3% within 14 days of death). Most patients died at home (62.9%) or in inpatient hospice (12.9%) as opposed to the hospital (2.9%). Conclusions: A minority of concurrent care patients received cancer-directed therapies or additional types of health care interventions despite the option to do so. Cancer-directed treatment utilization also decreased as patients approached end of life. Patients enrolled in concurrent care were able to appreciate its benefits for longer, as the average length of stay on concurrent care was nearly 3 months.