palliative care in 2014
TRANSCRIPT
Healthcare Benchmarks and Metrics February 2014
Palliative Care in 2014:Timely Referrals Key Challenge
for Care Providers
www.hin.comThe Healthcare Intelligence Network • 800 State Highway 71, Suite 2 • Sea Girt, NJ 08750
888-446-3530 • [email protected]
Page 2
www.hin.com | ©2014 Healthcare Intelligence Network
February 2014 • Palliative Care in 2014
Palliative Care in 2014: Timely Referrals Key Challenge for Care Providers
With an aging population that is living longer—an estimated 10,000 baby boomers become eligible for Medicare each day—and a shortage of specialists trained for the field, palliative care is no longer taking a back seat to more traditional healthcare. Nearly three-fourths (70 percent) of 223 respondents to the Healthcare Intelligence Network’s first annual Palliative Care survey in February 2014 said they have a palliative care program in place, and of those that don’t, more than half (55 percent) said they planned to launch a program within 12 months.
The definition of palliative care, too, has evolved: it is no longer intended just for the terminally ill (80 percent), but is also beginning to encompass those with serious illness (74 percent) and multiple chronic illnesses (64 percent) who can still benefit from quality of care and life. Pulling such a program together requires a mixed bag approach—everyone from oncologists to pharmacists to theologians are considered part of the palliative care team that provides everything from chemotherapy to pain symptom management to spiritual support for both patients and their families and caregivers.
The most successful resources for a palliative care program are well-trained palliative care nurses and case managers. Clinical tools like the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) scale also help with assessments; and constant input of families and caregivers is essential.
Timely referrals of patients to palliative care is one of the first and most sensitive steps, and the biggest challenge, according to almost 52 percent of respondents. This can be determined during a hospital stay (62 percent) or a home case visit (41 percent), where the home care worker and case manager play integral roles. But generally, it’s anywhere and everywhere a patient or family considers it right.
Survey Highlights
�� Nearly half of respondents (48 percent) consider frailty a key characteristic of their palliative patient/member population; other traits include impaired cognitive capacity (34 percent) and disabilities (15 percent).
�� Candidates for palliative care are primarily identified by physician referrals (78 percent); 60 percent of respondents said that case management assessments were important tools for identification.
SAVE 20% with Coupon Code:
Download
Buy the Complete ReportNeed more data from this survey? The Healthcare Intelligence Network has produced 2014 Healthcare Benchmarks: Palliative Care. This 50-page report, with more than 40 data charts, documents emerging trends in palliative care at 223 organizations, from the timing of palliative consults to care team members to the impact this specialized care has on healthcare utilization and the patient experience. For more information on this report, please visit: http://store.hin.com/product.asp?itemid=4808
Page 3
www.hin.com | ©2014 Healthcare Intelligence Network
February 2014 • Palliative Care in 2014
Program Components�� Among the key components of the palliative care program is pain/symptom
management (93 percent), with patient/caregiver education also integral, say 80 percent of respondents.
�� While the majority of respondents (68 percent) administer palliative care on an inpatient basis, more than half (54 percent) say care is conducted on home visits and just under a third offer palliative care at extended care facilities.
�� Nearly half of respondents (48 percent) cited physician resistance as the key challenge to implementing a palliative care program.
Results and ROI�� Nearly 20 percent of respondents said it was too early to tell what ROI their
palliative care program generated.
�� About 88 percent of respondents with palliative care programs reported an increase in patient satisfaction levels among Medicare participants, while 89 percent saw more satisfaction among caregivers.
�� Seventy-one percent of respondents with palliative care programs in place reported an uptick in hospice election by Medicare patients.
�� Overall, the presence of palliative care helped to curb healthcare utilization costs for 70 percent of respondents.
Related Blog Posts
Early Palliative Care Improves Care
The word ‘palliative’ literally means to cloak
or conceal...
Meet Geriatric Care
Manager Jullie Gray:
“There’s not enough people in the field of geriatrics who
understand the special needs of older adults...”
Aetna’s Compassionate
Care: Holistic Case Management
When a loved one is dying, continued
support and ...
Featured Downloads
Home Visits in 2013
Case Management in 2013
Key Challenges of Palliative Care
HIN 10 Questions on Palliative Care Survey: January, 2014
What are the key challenges of implementing palliative care?
© 2013
Page 4
www.hin.com | ©2014 Healthcare Intelligence Network
February 2014 • Palliative Care in 2014
Successful Work Flows, Processes and Tools�� “Palliative care nurse with a mental health/counseling background in a sub-acute
without the need of an MD referral.”�� “Interdisciplinary team; access to company-owned durable medical equipment
(DME).”�� “Clinical assessment, multidisciplinary approach, pain assessment for out-
cancer patients, ultrasound investigations, a lot of psycho-oncology, organizing of palliative care units, share experiences with patients, family, caregivers, physicians, nurses gained through educational programs.”
�� “Our initial assessment tool, which determines eligibility of the patient to receive palliative care, and whether the patient’s symptoms can be managed at home or in the inpatient unit.”
�� “Ongoing case management.”
About the SurveyThe first annual 10 Questions on Palliative Care survey was administered in January 2014 via the Healthcare Intelligence Network Web site at http://www.hin.com. Respondents were invited to take the survey via e-mail, e-newsletter and social networking reminders throughout the month. A total of 223 healthcare companies responded to the survey, which asked 10 questions on palliative care, with multiple responses possible on some questions. Some questions were open-ended, inviting write-in responses. Not all surveys were fully completed. Data is qualitative, and results were compiled by the Healthcare Intelligence Network.
Respondent DemographicsResponses to the January 2014 survey on palliative care were submitted by 223 organizations. Of 132 respondents identifying their organization type, 46 percent were hospital/health systems, 13 percent were health plans, 17 percent were home health, 13 percent were case management, 11 percent were long-term care providers (nursing home, hospice, etc.), 6 percent were physician practices, 5 percent were independent practice associations (IPAs), and 17 percent categorized their organization type as ‘Other.’
Industry Experts Weigh in...
Advanced Illness Care Coordination: A Case
Study
Joseph Agostini, MD, senior medical director of Aetna
Medicare
Incentives for Behavior Change at End of Life
Neal Sofian, MSPH, director of member engagement at
Premera Blue Cross
Care Transition Management:
Strategies for Effective Patient Handoffs
Cheryl Bailey, vice president of patient care services,
Cullman Regional Medical Center
More Palliative Care Podcasts
in Our Archive
Page 5
www.hin.com | ©2014 Healthcare Intelligence Network
February 2014 • Palliative Care in 2014
Option 2: Save $500 Annually with a Benchmarks MembershipWant instant digital access to new healthcare benchmarks the day they’re published — for an entire year at a substantial discount? Then the HIN Healthcare Benchmarks membership is for you.
With the HIN Healthcare Benchmarks membership, you’ll be emailed a PDF of new healthcare market data the day it’s issued. (Choose the “Recommended” option for a same-day PDF and print copy on publication, at an additional 30 percent savings.)
The HIN Benchmarking series provides continuous qualitative data on industry trends to empower healthcare companies to assess strengths, weaknesses and opportunities to improve by comparing organizational performance to reported metrics.
For more details, please visit: http://store.hin.com/product.asp?itemid=4664
About the Healthcare Intelligence NetworkThe Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN) curates high-quality information on the business of healthcare. Healthcare executives can receive exclusive, customized real-time news and data in their preferred format in five key areas: healthcare and managed care, hospital and health system management, health law and regulation, behavioral healthcare and long-term care.
Contact Us: Healthcare Intelligence Network800 State Highway 71 Sea Girt, NJ 08750Phone: (888) 446-3530 Fax: (732) 449-4463E-mail: [email protected]
Connect with HIN:
You might also like these valuable HINfographics:
Parsing Palliative Care 7 Care Transition Models
Home Visits
Option 1: Buy the Full ReportDownload the PDF instantly ($107) or order a print copy ($117) of 2014 Healthcare Benchmarks: Palliative Care. This 50-page report is designed to meet business and planning needs of health plans, managed care organizations, hospitals, physician organizations, health systems, post-acute and longterm care and others by providing critical benchmarks in palliative care. For more information on this report, please visit: http://store.hin.com/product.asp?itemid=4808
SAVE 20% with Coupon Code:
Download