title: Cost savings from palliative care teams and guidance for a financially viable palliative care program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the cost savings of palliative care (PC) and identify differences in savings according to team structure, patient diagnosis, and timing of consult.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital administrative records on all inpatient stays at five hospital campuses from January 2009 through June 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis matched PC patients to non-PC patients (separately by discharge status) using propensity score methods. Weighted generalized linear model regressions of hospital costs were estimated for the matched groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were restricted to patients at least 18 years old with inpatient stays of between 7 and 30 days. Variables available included patient demographics, primary and secondary diagnoses, hospital costs incurred for the inpatient stay, and when/if the patient had a PC consult.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found overall cost savings from PC of $3,426 per patient for those dying in the hospital. No significant cost savings were found for patients discharged alive; however, significant cost savings for patients discharged alive could be achieved for certain diagnoses, PC team structures, or if consults occurred within 10 days of admission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Appropriately selected and timed PC consults with physician and RN involvement can help ensure a financially viable PC program via cost savings to the hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Chessie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Sakib
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huq
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Philastre
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Fine
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017046:Cost Savings; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000191:economics*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000191:economics*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D057216:Propensity Score; D014481:United States
keywords: Palliative care; hospital cost savings