Impact of Staffing on Access to Palliative Care in U.S. Hospitals

Abstract

Abstract

Background:

Over the past decade over two-thirds of U.S. hospitals have established palliative care programs. National data on palliative care program staffing and its association with operational outcomes are limited.

Objective:

The objective of this report is to examine the impact of palliative care program staffing on access to palliative care in U.S. hospitals.

Methods:

Data from the National Palliative Care Registry™ for 2014 were used to calculate staffing levels, palliative care service penetration, and time to initial palliative care consultation for 398 palliative care programs operating across 482 U.S. hospitals.

Results:

Hospital-based palliative care programs reported an average service penetration of 4.4%. Higher staffing levels were associated with higher service penetration; higher service penetration was associated with shorter time to initial palliative care consultation.

Discussion:

This report demonstrates that operational effectiveness, as measured by staffing and palliative care service penetration, is associated with shorter time to palliative care consultation.