Study Finds Disease and Race-Based Differences in Inpatient Palliative Care Consultation
A new study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society finds that inpatient palliative care is underused—reaching only 1 in 9 eligible patients—and often delayed. Patients with cancer or dementia were more likely to receive timely palliative care than those with heart failure, COPD, or kidney failure. Race was also a significant factor: Black and Asian patients were more likely than White patients to receive a palliative care consult. The strongest predictor, however, was the hospital itself—highlighting organizational differences and the need for standardized, equitable access to palliative care.