A study released today in the Journal of Palliative Medicine confirmed that palliative care programs continue to be a rapidly growing trend in U.S. hospitals a trend widely regarded to be an improvement in the quality of care of advanced, chronic illness. Researchers at the Mount Sinai Medical Center and the American Hospital Association (AHA) report that the number of palliative care programs increased from 632 (15% of hospitals) in 2000 to 1,027 (25% of hospitals) in 2003 - a 63% increase in only three years.

"This is a win-win for both patients and hospitals. Palliative care programs provide quality, efficient and cost-effective care focused directly on our sickest and most complex patients. Hospitals recognize that the cost of not providing this type of care is just too high," said Dr. Sean Morrison, one of the study's authors and Vice-Chair of Research, Department of Geriatrics at the Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Although growth occurred nationwide, larger hospitals, not-for-profit hospitals, academic medical centers and VA hospitals were more likely to have a program compared to other hospitals. The New England, Pacific, and Mountain regions of the country were also much more likely to have programs.

The goal of palliative care is to relieve suffering and ensure the best possible quality of life for people facing advanced chronic and life-threatening illness. It is provided alongside all other appropriate curative treatment. Hospital palliative care programs have been associated with improvements in both healthcare quality and healthcare costs.

By 2030, 20% of the U.S. population will be over 65 and most will eventually have one or more chronic illnesses. "Patient demands are changing. People want quality of life and relief from suffering. Usually palliative care programs are flooded with referrals once word gets out that a program has been started," commented Dr. Diane Meier, Director of the Center to Advance Palliative Car
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Contact: Lisa Morgan
lisa.morgan@mssm.edu
212-201-2675
The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine
12-Dec-2005

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