title: A pilot study of palliative medicine fellows' hospice home visits.
abstract: This was a prospective descriptive study of hospice physician home visits (HVs) conducted by Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellows. Our objectives were 1) to improve our knowledge of hospice care at home by describing physician HVs 2) to identify the indications for physician HVs and the problems addressed during the HV. Data was collected on 58 consecutive patients using a standardized form completed before and after the home visit. More than half of the persons were women. Most were Caucasian. Median age was 75 years; 57% had cancer; 77% were do-not-resuscitate. 76% HV occurred in the home. The median visit duration was 60 minutes; median travel distance and time 25 miles and 42 minutes, respectively. A hospice nurse case manager was present in 95%. The most common issues addressed during HVs were: health education, symptom management, and psychosocial support. Medication review was prominent. Physicians identified previously unreported issues. Symptom control was usually pain, although 27 symptoms were identified. Medications were important; all home visits included drug review and two thirds drug change. Physicians had unique responsibilities and identified important issues in the HV. Physicians provided both education and symptom management. Physician HVs are an important intervention. HVs were important in continuity of care, however, time-consuming, and incurred considerable travel, and professional time and costs.
authors.affiliation: Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Department of Solid Tumor Oncology, The Harry R Horvitz Center for Palliative Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Shoemaker
authors.forename: Aynur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.forename: Declan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hullihen
authors.forename: Mohammed I Ahmed
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Kraig M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Mellar P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lagman
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: LeGrand
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D017051:Hospice Care; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059065:Medication Reconciliation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010820:Physicians; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000078329:Workforce