Code status orders in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic created complex challenges regarding the timing and appropriateness of do-not-attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) and/or Do Not Intubate (DNI) code status orders. This paper sought to determine differences in utilization of DNACPR and/or DNI orders during different time periods of the COVID-19 pandemic, including prevalence, predictors, timing, and outcomes associated with having a documented DNACPR and/or DNI order in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Methods: A cohort study of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at two hospitals located in the Midwest. DNACPR code status orders including, DNI orders, demographics, labs, COVID-19 treatments, clinical interventions during hospitalization, and outcome measures including mortality, discharge disposition, and hospice utilization were collected. Patients were divided into two time periods (early and late) by timing of hospitalization during the first wave of the pandemic (March-October 2020). Results: Among 1375 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, 19% (n = 258) of all patients had a documented DNACPR and/or DNI order. In multivariable analysis, age (older) p =< 0.01, OR 1.12 and hospitalization early in the pandemic p = 0.01, OR 2.08, were associated with having a DNACPR order. Median day from DNACPR order to death varied between cohorts p => 0.01 (early cohort 5 days versus late cohort 2 days). In-hospital mortality did not differ between cohorts among patients with DNACPR orders, p = 0.80. Conclusions: There was a higher prevalence of DNACPR and/or DNI orders and these orders were written earlier in the hospital course for patients hospitalized early in the pandemic versus later despite similarities in clinical characteristics and medical interventions. Changes in clinical care between cohorts may be due to fear of resource shortages and changes in knowledge about COVID-19.

Providing Palliative Care to Patients Throughout the State of Indiana from a Centralized Virtual Palliative Care Hub.

BACKGROUND: Access to palliative care clinicians is a limited resource. Expanding the reach of existing palliative care expertise by utilizing virtual care is one strategy to reach areas that lack access. We delivered virtual services through a centralized hub across multiple health settings and tracked outcomes. METHODS: Through a centralized virtual palliative care hub based in an urban academic health center, access to specialty palliative care was offered across homes, critical access hospitals (CAHs), and extended care facilities (ECFs) in the state of Indiana. Webpage-based platforms were used, and hardware included a cart on wheels for rural hospital sites. Data specific to palliative care were monitored for each encounter. RESULTS: Over one year, 372 patients were seen for virtual palliative care consultations, of whom 275 (73.9%) were seen in the outpatient setting (where the patient was at home or in an ECF) and 97 (26.1%) were inpatient visits performed in CAHs. Visits occurred with patients from almost all counties in Indiana. Advance directives were established for 286 (76.9%) patients seen, and 107 (28.8%) patients were referred to hospice. CONCLUSION: Specialty palliative care is a limited resource that has been further constrained by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our experience demonstrates that centralized virtual hub-based palliative care can be leveraged to provide effective, patient-centered, and compassionate care in regions without a specialist and has the potential to improve access to specialty palliative care.

Crucial Conversations for High-Risk Populations before Surgery: Advance Care Planning in a Preoperative Setting.

Background: High-risk patients undergoing elective surgery are at risk for perioperative complications, including readmissions and death. Advance care planning (ACP) may allow for preparation for such events. Objectives: (1) To assess the completion rate of advance directives (ADs) and their association with one year readmissions and mortality (2) to examine clinical events for decedents. Design: This is an observational cohort study conducted through chart review. Setting/Subjects: Subjects were 400 patients undergoing preoperative evaluation for elective surgery at two hospitals in the United States. Measurements: The prevalence of ADs at the time of surgery and at one year, readmissions, and mortality at one year were determined. Results: Three-hundred ninety patients were included. In total, 102 (26.4%) patients were readmitted, yet did not complete an AD. Seventeen (4.4%) patients filed an AD during follow-up. Nineteen patients died and mortality rate was 4.9%. There was a significant association between completing an AD before death. Of the decedents, seven (37%) underwent resuscitation, but only four had ADs. Conclusions: Many high-risk surgical patients would benefit from ADs before clinical decline. Preoperative clinics present a missed opportunity to ensure ACP occurs before complications arise.

Using a Modified Surprise Question as a Tool to Improve Primary Palliative Care in a Neurocritical Care Unit.

BACKGROUND: Specialty palliative care is a limited resource. The surprise question ("Would you be surprised if this patient died within the next 12 months?") is a screening tool for clinicians to identify people nearing the end of life. The researchers used a modified surprise question (MSQ) to improve primary palliative care in a neurocritical care unit. METHODS: A palliative care physician attended interdisciplinary rounds up to three days a week and asked the primary neurocritical care team, for each patient admitted in the previous 24 hours, the MSQ: "Would you be surprised if this patient died during this hospital stay?" If the response was "No," the unit social worker identified the patient's surrogate decision maker (SDM), and the primary team was encouraged to conduct a goals of care (GOC) conversation. The frequency of SDM documentation, occurrence and timing of GOC conversations, and palliative care and hospice consultations were measured for the baseline six months before the intervention, and six months after. RESULTS: Among 350 patients admitted to the neurocritical care unit during the study, the age, gender, prehospitalization presence of advance directives, and mortality were comparable between the baseline (n = 173) and intervention (n = 177) periods. Compared to the baseline period, there was a higher frequency during the intervention period of documentation of SDM (31.8% vs. 54.2%, p = 0.00002), all GOC conversations (35.3% vs. 53.1%, p = 0.008), GOC conversations conducted by the primary team (27.2% vs. 47.5%, p = 0.00009), palliative care consultations (11.6% vs. 23.2%, p = 0.004), and hospice consultations (2.3% vs. 9.6%, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The MSQ can be used as a tool to identify the risk of mortality, facilitate palliative care delivered by the primary team, and improve end-of-life care.

Development of a Protocol for Successful Palliative Care Consultation in Population of Patients Receiving Mechanical Circulatory Support.

BACKGROUND: In 2014, Joint Commission recommended palliative care (PC) engagement in ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation as destination therapy. Limited information is available on established PC protocols in the mechanical circulatory support (MCS) population. MEASURES: The goals of our PC consultation were to document advance care planning (ACP) discussions and designate a surrogate decision maker (SDM) before MCS implantation. A retrospective analysis compared the frequency of PC consults, ACP discussion, and SDM before and after protocol implementation. INTERVENTION: A protocol was developed to conduct interdisciplinary PC consultations for the MCS population. OUTCOMES: The percentage of PC consults placed before MCS implantation increased from 11 (17.2%) before protocol to 56 (96.6%) after protocol (P < 0.0001) and documented SDM increased from 26 (40.6%) before protocol to 57 (98.3%) after protocol (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Close PC/cardiology collaboration can substantially improve ACP discussions and SDM documentation in the MCS population. This multidisciplinary protocol facilitates successful PC consultations.