Early Palliative Care Can Prevent Cirrhosis Readmissions
In a study published in Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology (and covered in Medscape) researchers evaluated the impact of early palliative care consults on unplanned readmissions for patients with decompensated cirrhosis. They found that earlier consults were associated with lower odds of unplanned 30-day and 90-day hospital readmissions among this patient population. Though an association vs. a causation, the study suggests that earlier and broader access to palliative care may improve outcomes and alleviate stress for these patients.