Hospice and Palliative Care News

Among older patients hospitalized with heart failure, transitional care services, particularly nurse home visits, improved health outcomes and appeared to be more cost effective than standard care, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Cannabinoids did not appear to reduce cancer-associated pain among adults with cancer, according to results of a systemic review and meta-analysis published in BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.

In 2017, administrative costs accounted for 34.2% of all health care expenditures in the United States, twice the percentage spent on administration in Canada, according to study findings published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

For older adults with multiple chronic conditions, an intervention program designed to align patient care with individual health goals may be associated with reductions in treatment burden and unwanted health care, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The quality of life of patients with dementia and their caregivers can be improved through a collaborative telehealth care intervention that provides support over the phone and online, according to study results published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Just 18% of older adults admitted to a long-term acute care hospital were alive after 5 years, making the prognosis for these patients worse than those associated with terminal illnesses, including advanced cancer and end-stage heart failure, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Approximately 71% of patients seen in perioperative testing clinics prior to surgery do not have any advanced care directives in place, according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Among patients with cancer referred to hospice, advanced care planning documented in electronic health records was tied to significantly fewer hospital admissions within the last 30 days of life, according to a study published in the American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine.

A recent study of 1-year mortality rates following dialysis initiation in adults over 65.5 years found that the mortality rate in the older adults was nearly double the rate reported by the United States Renal Data System.

The latest National Consensus Project Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care underscore the importance of interdisciplinary care and care coordination as patients move across care settings, according to a member of the guidelines committee.