Open AccessVirtual Interinstitutional Palliative Care Consultation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in New York City
Author(s) -
Lawrence Asprec,
Craig D. Blinderman,
Ana Berlin,
Mary E. Callahan,
Eric Widera,
Vyjeyanthi S. Periyakoil,
Alexander K. Smith,
Shunichi Nakagawa
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of palliative medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.986
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-6218
pISSN - 1557-7740
DOI - 10.1089/jpm.2021.0208
Subject(s) - palliative care , medicine , covid-19 , pandemic , context (archaeology) , multidisciplinary approach , intensive care unit , retrospective cohort study , family medicine , emergency medicine , medical emergency , intensive care medicine , nursing , disease , sociology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , biology , paleontology , social science
Context: Amid the COVID-19 surge in New York City, the need for palliative care was highlighted. Virtual consultation was introduced to expand specialist-level care to meet demand. Objectives: To examine the outcomes of COVID-19 patients who received virtual palliative care consultation from outside institutions. Design: This is a retrospective case series. Setting/Subjects: Subjects were 34 patients who received virtual palliative care consultation between April 13, 2020, and June 14, 2020. Measurements: Follow-up frequency and duration, code status change, withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (LST), and multidisciplinary involvement. Results: Twenty-eight patients (82.3%) were in the intensive care unit and 29 patients (85.3%) were on at least two LSTs. Fifteen patients (44.1%) died in the hospital, 9 patients (26.4%) were discharged alive, and 10 patients (29.4%) were signed off. The median frequency of visits was 4.5 (IQR 6) over 11 days follow-up (IQR 17). Code status change was more frequent in deceased patients. LSTs were withdrawn in eight patients (23.5%). Conclusions: Virtual palliative care consultation was feasible during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.