Evaluating the FRAIL Questionnaire as a Trigger for Palliative Care Consultation After Acute Stroke

The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association jointly released guidelines stating that all patients with a new diagnosis of stroke should receive palliative care consultation starting in the acute phase of care. The purpose of this project was to increase palliative care consultation rates for patients after an acute stroke by using a frailty score to trigger a palliative care consult. Provider education on palliative care and a 5-question fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illnesses, and loss of weight (FRAIL) questionnaire was delivered by a presentation, handouts, and a follow-up email using previously developed content. Patients included adults admitted to the neuroscience critical care unit of a Midwestern comprehensive stroke center with an admission diagnosis of acute stroke (n = 120). The charge nurse completed the FRAIL questionnaire as a screening tool to trigger a palliative care consult. A survey was also distributed to providers (n = 54) to understand their knowledge, thoughts, and feelings toward palliative care. There was an increase in patients who received palliative care consultation from 14.9% to 21.7% after implementation of the FRAIL questionnaire. Also, providers felt better able to provide symptom management to patients after acute stroke. Further research is necessary to determine if the FRAIL survey is an adequate trigger for palliative care consultation.