Impact of a Centralized Inpatient Hospice Unit in an Academic Medical Center. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jegier, Briana J.; O'Mahony, Sean; Johnson, Julie; Flaska, Rita; Perry, Anthony; Runge, Mary; Sommerfeld, Teri
• Is Part Of: American journal of hospice & palliative care. Volume 33:Number 8(2016)
• Page Start: 755
• Page End: 759
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: inpatient hospice unit -- academic hospital -- costs; Hospice care -- Periodicals; Palliative treatment -- Periodicals; 362.175
• DOI: 10.1177/1049909115599157
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1049-9091

Abstract

Objective: Rush University Medical Center (RUMC) and Horizon Hospice opened the first centralized inpatient hospice unit (CIPU) in a Chicago academic medical center in 2012. This study examined if there was a difference in cost or length of stay (LOS) in a CIPU compared to hospice care in scattered beds throughout RUMC. Study Design and Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study compared cost and LOS for patients admitted to the CIPU (n = 141) and those admitted to hospice scattered beds (SBM) throughout RUMC (n = 56). Results: The CIPU patients had a median LOS of 6.0 days versus 2.0 days for SBM patients. Conclusions: The CIPU patients had longer hospice LOS but lower hospital costs. Academic medical centers may benefit from aggregating hospice beds.