Sangeeta Lamba1, Roxanne Nagurka, Susanne Walther, Patricia Murphy. 1. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, University Hospital, Newark, New Jersey 07101, USA. lambasa@umdnj.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To provide optimal palliative care (PC) services in the acute setting of the emergency department (ED), it may be beneficial for the consult team to delineate the most commonly requested ED-PC services and understand why ED clinicians currently request palliative care consults (PCC). METHODS: Using a retrospective review of data gathered by the PC team on services and consults we studied patterns of ED-initiated PCC (EDI-PCC) and describe here the use of PC services in an urban tertiary-care-center ED. We then compare these with PC services provided in the traditional in-patient consult setting. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: EDI-PCC patients are young, likely secondary to traumatic and critical, sudden events. In-hospital mortality rate for EDI-PCC patients is very high (most die early and in the ED setting), signifying a trend for ED clinicians to request PC consults in those who are imminently dying. PC consult teams called to the ED should expect to provide high-priority, time-sensitive services and anticipate a high level of bereavement/emotional support for distraught and unprepared families, with major discussions around end-of-life care.
BACKGROUND: To provide optimal palliative care (PC) services in the acute setting of the emergency department (ED), it may be beneficial for the consult team to delineate the most commonly requested ED-PC services and understand why ED clinicians currently request palliative care consults (PCC). METHODS: Using a retrospective review of data gathered by the PC team on services and consults we studied patterns of ED-initiated PCC (EDI-PCC) and describe here the use of PC services in an urban tertiary-care-center ED. We then compare these with PC services provided in the traditional in-patient consult setting. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: EDI-PCC patients are young, likely secondary to traumatic and critical, sudden events. In-hospital mortality rate for EDI-PCC patients is very high (most die early and in the ED setting), signifying a trend for ED clinicians to request PC consults in those who are imminently dying. PC consult teams called to the ED should expect to provide high-priority, time-sensitive services and anticipate a high level of bereavement/emotional support for distraught and unprepared families, with major discussions around end-of-life care.
Authors: Justin K Brooten; Alyssa S Buckenheimer; Joy K Hallmark; Carl R Grey; David M Cline; Candace J Breznau; Tyler S McQueen; Zvi J Harris; David Welsh; Jeff D Williamson; Jennifer L Gabbard Journal: West J Emerg Med Date: 2020-07-08
Authors: Frederica Montanari Lourençato; Carlos Henrique Miranda; Marcos de Carvalho Borges; Antonio Pazin-Filho Journal: Int J Emerg Med Date: 2022-09-16