Inpatient Palliative Care and Patient Pain: Pre- and Post-Outcomes

• Published in: Journal of pain and symptom management 2012-06, Vol.43 (6), p.1051-1059
• Main Authors: Laguna, Jeff, BS, Goldstein, Rebecca, MD, Allen, Janet, RN, MSN, PHN, CHPN, Braun, William, MD, Enguídanos, Susan, PhD, MPH
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia & Perioperative Care; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic pain; Chronic Pain - epidemiology; Chronic Pain - prevention & control; Discharge; end-of-life care; Female; hospital discharge; Hospitalization; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals; Humans; Los Angeles - epidemiology; Male; Medical sciences; pain; Pain Measurement - statistics & numerical data; Pain Medicine; Palliative Care; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prevalence; Referral and Consultation - statistics & numerical data; Symptoms; Teams; transition; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0885-3924; 1873-6513
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2011.06.023

Abstract Context Hospitalized patients with serious illness often receive inadequate pain and symptom management at the end of life. Objectives To test the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary inpatient palliative care (IPC) consultation program in the management of pain among seriously ill patients during hospitalization, and to examine IPC patient pain outcomes 10 days following hospital discharge. Methods A two-year pre-post study was conducted at a nonprofit health maintenance organization medical center in Los Angeles County. Hospital patients ( n = 484) aged 65 years and older with life-threatening, complex, chronic conditions received comprehensive assessment, pain and symptom relief, care planning, counseling, and other supportive services from an IPC team. Measures included self-reported pain at baseline, two and 24 hours following IPC intervention, discharge, and 10 days post-discharge. Results Mean pain was significantly different between baseline (1.56 ± 2.79) and two hours (0.91 ± 1.59; P