Palliative Care Consults Among Critically Ill Patients: Does Timing Matter?
In a study published in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, researchers examined palliative care consults for MICU patients with stays of 72 hours or more, comparing those seen in-ICU versus post-ICU. They found no differences in sociodemographic or clinical characteristics between the groups, though patients seen in-ICU had longer MICU stays and more days between consult and discharge. In-hospital mortality—which was used as a proxy for unmet palliative care needs—was high regardless of consult timing, underscoring the need for delivery models that ensure that more MICU patients with stays ≥72 hours receive timely in-ICU palliative care consults.