• Felicity Dewhurst, Hannah Billett, Lauri Simkiss, Charlotte Bryan, Julie Barnsley, Max Charles, Elizabeth Fleming, Jennifer Grieve, Sade Hacking, Kate Howorth, Amy Huggin, Emily Kavanagh, Rachel Kiltie, Lucy Lowery, Dene Miller, Alex Nicholson, Lucy Nicholson, Ann Paxton, Anna Porteous, Grace Rowley, Kaly Snell, Elizabeth Woods, Elizabeth Zabrocki, Katherine Frew, and Leena Srivastava.
• Newcastle University Population Health Sciences, Centre for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom. Electronic address: drfelicitywerrett@doctors.org.uk.
• J Pain Symptom Manage. 2021 May 1; 61 (5): e7e12e7-e12.

ContextThe pandemic has substantially increased the workload of hospital palliative care providers, requiring them to be responsive and innovative despite limited information on the specific end of life care needs of patients with COVID-19. Multi-site data detailing clinical characteristics of patient deaths from large populations, managed by specialist and generalist palliative care providers are lacking.ObjectivesTo conduct a large multicenter study examining characteristics of COVID-19 hospital deaths and implications for care.MethodsA multi-center retrospective evaluation examined 434 COVID-19 deaths in 5 hospital trusts over the period March 23, 2020 to May 10, 2020.ResultsEighty three percent of patients were over 70%-32% were admitted from care homes. Diagnostic timing indicated over 90% of those who died contracted the virus in the community. Dying was recognized in over 90% of patients, with the possibility of dying being identified less than 48 hours from admission for a third. In over a quarter, death occurred less than 24 hours later. Patients who were recognized to be dying more than 72 hours prior to death are most likely to have access to medication for symptom control.ConclusionThis large multicenter study comprehensively describes COVID-19 deaths throughout the hospital setting. Clinicians are alert to and diagnose dying appropriately in most patients. Outcomes could be improved by advance care planning to establish preferences, including whether hospital admission is desirable, and alongside this, support the prompt use of anticipatory subcutaneous medications and syringe drivers if needed. Finally, rapid discharges and direct hospice admissions could better utilize hospice beds and improve care.Copyright © 2021 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

12 keywords...

hide…