Utilization of the No One Dies Alone Program to Support Dying Patients

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• End-of-Life Support
• Volunteer Programs

Background:

• The No One Dies Alone (NODA) program has provided volunteer support to terminally ill patients for over two decades.
• Evaluating NODA program utilization in urban medical centers is crucial for identifying areas for improvement and potential expansion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utilization of the NODA program at a major urban medical center.
• To identify factors influencing program effectiveness and patient benefit.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Harborview Medical Center (HMC) from 2012 to 2020.
• Data from 234 hospitalized patients enrolled in the NODA program were analyzed using electronic health records.
• Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize patient demographics and program utilization.

Main Results:

• The NODA program served 234 patients, with an average enrollment of four days; 37% were enrolled for only one day.
• While most patients received volunteer visits, 22% did not, often due to death before volunteer arrival (92%).
• Fifty-six percent of patients had family visits during their hospitalization.

Conclusions:

• The NODA program serves patients with and without family support.
• The timing of referral significantly impacts patient benefit, underscoring the necessity of early consultation for optimal NODA program engagement.