Interprofessional Rounds Improve Timing of Appropriate Palliative Care Consultation on a Hospitalist Service

Abstract

Despite known benefits, palliative care (PC) consultation for hospitalized patients remains underutilized. The objective was to improve frequency and timeliness of appropriate inpatient PC consultation. On 2 of 11 hospitalist teams, a PC representative attended discharge rounds twice a week. Control teams’ discharge rounds were unenhanced. Subjects were all patients admitted to a hospitalist service in a quaternary academic medical center. The primary outcome was change in provision of PC consultation over time; the secondary outcome was change in time-to-consult (days). Hospitalists were surveyed regarding the intervention. The unadjusted proportion of patients receiving PC consultation increased from 2.7% to 5.2% on the intervention teams. Compared to control teams over time and adjusting for multiple covariates, the intervention increased PC consultation (difference-in-difference [DID] = 1.0 percentage-point increase [95% CI = 0.3%-1.8%]) and decreased time to consult (DID = −5 days [95% CI = −11 to −1]) in patients admitted for noncancer diagnoses. Hospitalists thought the intervention facilitated effective patient care without increased burden.