Examining hospice enrollment through a novel lens: Decision time

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Hospice utilization research lacks data on the time between learning about hospice and enrollment.
• The decision-making process for hospice care remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine hospice enrollment by exploring relationships between hospice decision time and known barriers to care.
• To identify factors influencing the time it takes for patients to enroll in hospice.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory cross-sectional study involving 90 hospice patients or their primary decision-makers.
• Statistical analyses including Pearson's r, independent-sample t tests, and ANOVA were used.
• Examined correlations between decision time and variables like referral source, treatment, functional status, demographics, and spirituality.

Main Results:

• Hospice decision time correlated with referral source, disease-directed treatment, functional status, age, diagnosis, income, race, and spirituality.
• Significant differences in decision time were observed across diagnosis, race, income, and referral source.

Conclusions:

• Hospice decision time is a pertinent variable in understanding hospice utilization.
• Findings have implications for clinical practice, emphasizing family involvement and tailored communication strategies.
• Addressing disparities and supporting concurrent care policies are essential for optimizing hospice access.