Engagement in Inpatient Hospice Rises With Opening of Pediatric Hospice Home

The opening of a pediatric-specific hospice home significantly increased engagement in inpatient hospice care, according to findings published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine.

“Location of end-of-life care and death are important considerations when treating children with life-limiting conditions,” wrote lead author Tressia Shaw, MD, of Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix, Arizona, and coauthors. “There is very limited research on utilization of an inpatient hospice facility for end-of-life care if a pediatric-specific facility is available.”

The retrospective cohort study examined data on location of end-of-life care and death 5 years before and 5 years after the opening of an inpatient pediatric hospice facility that receives referrals from a large children’s hospital.

After the facility’s opening, engagement in inpatient hospice care increased between 2- and 10-fold, according to the study. The percentage of patients who died in an inpatient hospice unit also increased significantly.

“Results of this study show that providers are more likely to refer, and families are more likely to use, inpatient hospice services when pediatric facilities are available,” the authors wrote. “These results are important for establishing an evidence base in support for increasing access to pediatric hospice facilities.”

Reference:
Shaw T, Berkel C, Bernatavicius W, Berger K. ‘If we build it, will they come?’ a cohort study of family utilization of a pediatric-specific hospice home. J Palliat Med. Published online March 30, 2022. doi:10.1089/jpm.2021.0513