Short terminal admissions to a hospice

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Hospice Medicine
• Symptom Management

Background:

• A significant number of patients die within 48 hours of hospice admission.
• Assessing the effectiveness of short-term hospice care is crucial for patient and family support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of patients admitted to St Christopher's Hospice who died within 48 hours.
• To identify the prevalence and management of symptoms in this patient group.
• To gather feedback from families and staff regarding the hospice experience.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 47 patients admitted to St Christopher's Hospice over a six-month period.
• Data collection on patient symptoms at admission, treatments administered, and patient outcomes.
• Surveys and feedback from patient relatives and hospice staff.

Main Results:

• Nearly 10% of admissions resulted in death within 48 hours.
• Most patients presented with treatable symptoms, with respiratory issues being most common and difficult to manage.
• Opioid analgesics were frequently required in low doses.
• The vast majority of relatives expressed no regrets about the place of death.
• Hospice staff indicated some hospital transfers were inappropriate.

Conclusions:

• Short-term hospice admissions provide significant value to patients and families during the end of life.
• Effective symptom management is achievable even in very short hospice stays.
• Further improvements in patient transfer protocols from hospitals to hospices are needed.