title: A model for increasing palliative care in the intensive care unit: enhancing interprofessional consultation rates and communication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Only a minority of patients who die in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) receive palliative care services. At the South Texas Veterans Health Care System Audie L. Murphy Hospital, only 5% of patients who died in the MICU from May to August 2010 received a palliative care consultation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the percentage of MICU patients for which there was a palliative care consultation during the intervention period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Starting October 1, 2010 and ending April 30, 2011, the palliative care and MICU teams participated in daily "pre-rounds" to identify patients at risk for poor outcomes, who may benefit from a palliative care consultation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Palliative care consultation increased significantly from 5% to 59% for patients who died in the MICU during the intervention period. Additionally, palliative care consultation increased from 5% to 21% for all patients admitted to the MICU during the intervention period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daily pre-rounds between the palliative care and MICU teams increased palliative care services for MICU patients at risk for poor outcomes, who may benefit from a palliative care consultation.
authors: Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology and Palliative Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA. villarreald4@uthscsa.edu
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Villarreal
authors: Marcos I
authors: MI
authors: Restrepo
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Healy
authors: Bonita
authors: B
authors: Howard
authors: Janet
authors: J
authors: Tidwell
authors: Jeanette
authors: J
authors: Ross
authors: Scotte
authors: S
authors: Hartronft
authors: Marriyam
authors: M
authors: Jawad
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Sanchez-Reilly
authors: Kristin
authors: K
authors: Reed
authors: Sara E
authors: SE
authors: Espinoza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010820:Physicians; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012947:Social Work