Experience with an end-of-life practice at a university hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a 10-yr experience with an end-of-life practice in a hospital.


METHODS
A nonexperimental, prospective, descriptive design was used to record variables from a convenience sample of patients transferred to the Comprehensive Supportive Care Team.


METHODS
Detroit Receiving Hospital is an urban, university-affiliated, Level I trauma/emergency hospital.


METHODS
Patients who are not expected to survive hospitalization, and for whom a decision has been made to focus care on palliative interventions, are candidates for care by this practice.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Patient demographics, including the following information: age, gender; diagnoses; illness severity; mortality rate; and disposition. Measures of resource utilization included: referral sources; Therapeutic intervention Scoring System values; bed costs; and length of hospital stay. Satisfactory patient/family care with a measurable reeducation in the use of resources can be achieved in the hospital setting.


CONCLUSIONS
A hands-on approach to the care of dying patients by this specialty, palliative care service has provided patients, families, and clinicians with the type of support needed for satisfactory end-of-life care. A summary of our experience may be useful to others.
Campbell
M L
ML
Comprehensive Supportive Care Team, Detroit Receiving Hospital, MI, USA.
Frank
R R
RR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016223:Advance Directives; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004991:Ethics, Institutional; D005066:Euthanasia, Passive; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016414:Resuscitation Orders; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*