ABSTRACT
Background Anticipated severe illness at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic bought increased endorsement, awareness and provision of advance care planning in adults with serious illness. Place of death is often considered a surrogate quality indicator for end-of-life care. Aim To examine the impact of advance care planning on place of death for patients who died during the COVID-19 pandemic with a Coordinate My Care (CMC) record, the Electronic Palliative Care Coordination System currently commissioned in London. Methods Retrospective non-interventional cohort analysis of CMC records for patients aged over 18 who died between 20/03/20 and 05/03/21 with recorded place of death. Patient demographics, socio-economic position and advance care planning related factors associated with achieving preferred place of death were explored using logistic regression. Results 11,913 records were included. 76.9% patients died in their preference place of death (57.7% Home, 31.4% Care Home, 7.5% Hospice, 3.3% Hospital, 0.1% Other). A higher likelihood of dying in the preferred place was associated with a 'Not for resuscitation' (DNACPR) status (OR=1.55, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.95), a Ceiling of Treatment for 'Symptomatic Treatment' (when compared to 'Full active treatment', OR=3.55, 95% CI 2.78 to 4.53), discussions with family regarding resuscitation recommendations (OR=1.53, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.74) and at least 2 non-urgent care record views in the 30days before death (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.43). Patients from areas of lower socio-economic position had a decreased likelihood of dying in their preferred place (OR= 0.65, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.79). Conclusion Components of Advance care planning carry potential to significantly influence place of death, even in times of crisis and when controlling for socio-economic and demographic determinants. Effective advance care planning is fundamental to achieving patient-centred, high-quality end-oflife care and factors relating to it must be considered in ongoing research on end-of-life outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Background/aims: Mortality forecasts associated with COVID-19 pandemic stressed a need to prepare adults with advanced disease for possible severe illness and engage with Advance Care Planning (ACP). We aimed to examine ACP engagement and activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective non-interventional cohort study, comparing the creation, content and use of Coordinate My Care (CMC) records that include an ACP component, in London, prior to and during the onset of COVID-19. Records for people aged 18+, created and published in prepandemic period (2018-2019) and 'wave 1' (W1) of COVID-19 (20/03/20- 04/07/20) were extracted. Demographics, ACP-related content and the use of CMC records created were analysed and compared using standard descriptive statistics. Results: 56,343 records were included, 35,108 from the pre-pandemic period and 21,235 records from W1. The average records created each week rose by 296.9% (P<0.005) in W1. There were fewer records in W1 for those aged 80 years (60.8% vs 64.9% pre-pandemic, P<0.005) and who had WHO performance status of 4 (34.8% vs 44.2% pre pandemic, P<0.005). More people who created records during W1 had an estimated prognosis of at least a year (73.3% vs 53.0% pre-pandemic, P<0.005), were “For Resuscitation” (38.2% vs 29.8% pre-pandemic, P<0.005) and had a Ceiling of Treatment of “Full Active Treatment” (32.4% vs 25.7%, P<0.005). More people in W1 listed hospital as their preferred place of care (PPC) and preferred place of death (PPD) (PPC: 13.3% vs 5.8% pre-pandemic, P<0.005. PPD: 14.0% vs 7.9%, P<0.005). Average monthly non-urgent and urgent record views rose by 320.3% (P=0.02) and 154.3% (P=0.01) in W1. Conclusions: A large uptake in engagement with ACP is demonstrated during the 1st wave of the pandemic. An increase in use among younger, more independent patients with longer prognoses, with a higher preference for hospital care creating records in W1 compared to before the pandemic, suggests heightened awareness and provision of ACP at this time.
ABSTRACT
Background/aims: At the beginning on the COVID-19 pandemic, advance care planning (ACP) was widely encouraged and endorsed for adults with serious illness to ensure their treatment and care preferences would be honoured, including location of death, often considered a surrogate quality indicator for end-of-life care. Coordinate My Care (CMC) represents the UK's largest Electronic Palliative Care Coordination System that comprises an ACP component. We aimed to examine the impact of ACP on place of death for people who died during the COVID-19 pandemic with a CMC record. Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of CMC records for people aged over 18 who died between 20/03/20 and 05/03/21 with recorded place of death. Socio-demographic, clinical and ACP-related factors associated with achieving preferred place of death (PPD) were examined using logistic regression. Results: 11,913 records were included. 76.9% patients died in their preferred place location of death (57.7% Home, 31.4% Care Home, 7.5% Hospice, 3.3% Hospital, 0.1% Other). An increased likelihood of dying in PPD was associated with a 'Not for resuscitation' (DNACPR) status (OR=1.55, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.95), a Ceiling of Treatment for Symptomatic Treatment (when compared to Full active treatment, OR=3.55, 95% CI 2.78 to 4.53), documented family discussions regarding resuscitation recommendations (OR=1.53, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.74) and 2+ non-urgent care record views in the 30 days before death (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.43). People from materially deprived areas had a decreased likelihood of dying in their PPD (OR= 0.65, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.79). Conclusions: Modifiable elements of ACP significantly influence place of death, even when controlling for socio-economic and demographic determinants. In times of crisis, effective ACP is central to delivering high quality end-of-life care;ACP related factors must be considered in ongoing research on end-of-life outcomes.