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Who needs a hospice?

P G Briggs1

  • 1Charitas Christi Hospice, Kew, Vic.

The Medical Journal of Australia
|March 16, 1992
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Patients referred for inpatient palliative care were highly dependent with significant functional impairments and limited life expectancy. This highlights the need for specialized hospice services for terminally ill individuals requiring intensive support.

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Area of Science:

  • Palliative Care Medicine
  • Oncology
  • Geriatrics

Background:

  • Palliative care programs in Australia are rapidly evolving, prompting a re-evaluation of traditional inpatient hospice roles.
  • Understanding the clinical profile of patients admitted to hospices is crucial for service planning and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define the clinical characteristics of patients referred for inpatient palliative care.
  • To analyze demographic data, diagnoses, length of stay, outcomes, and analgesic use in hospice patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart survey of 432 consecutively referred patients.
  • Study conducted in a 60-bed hospice offering intensive medical and nursing care for terminal illnesses.
  • Analysis included patient demographics, diagnoses, functional status, medication use (especially analgesics), length of stay, and outcomes.

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Main Results:

  • Most patients (67.6%) were referred from public hospitals; 83.8% died in hospice care.
  • Admitted patients were highly dependent: 62.5% bed-bound, 20.6% chair-bound, 16.9% ambulated unassisted.
  • Patients not on regular analgesia commonly presented with cachexia, confusion, impaired consciousness, and motor neurological deficits.

Conclusions:

  • Hospice patients exhibit significant functional dependency, severe impairments, and short life expectancies.
  • Findings underscore the critical role of inpatient hospices in providing intensive care for highly dependent, terminally ill patients.
  • The medical, social, and economic implications of these characteristics require further discussion and strategic planning.