Hospice Emergency Planning and COVID-19.

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements for Emergency Preparedness Planning (EPP) by hospice organizations significantly increased in 2017. This study seeks to assess the involvement of various hospice personnel in EPP before and since the onset of the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A link to an anonymous online survey was sent to members of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, targeting members involved in hospice care in the United States. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed. Results: Prior to the pandemic, 39.8% of respondents were "moderately" or "very" involved with the development and revisions of the Emergency Preparedness Plan. Since the beginning of the pandemic, this increased to 59%, which largely occurred among physicians. Clinical Nurse and Nurse Practitioner involvement in development/revisions remained low. Approximately 30% of respondents desired more involvement across the areas of EPP. Conclusion: The involvement of personnel of various disciplines is varied and the involvement of physicians appears to have increased with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A notable portion of personnel desired more involvement across all aspects of EPP. More research is needed in this important but little-understood area.