Study Finds Demographic Disparities in Quality of End-of-Life Care, Hospice Referrals – Hospice News

Read article - Quotes Garrett Wasp, instructor in medicine, about a new study he co-authored about the disparities in quality of care for minority hospice patients, particularly when it comes to a lack of hospice referrals, late hospice referrals, or a lack of advanced care plans or palliative care. "What the research shows is the kind of higher intensity of end-of-life care is associated with worse quality, so a higher percent of chemotherapy, emergency department visits, intensive care unit admissions, and life-sustaining treatments equals worse quality, as well as higher percent of no hospice referral or late hospice referral," says Wasp. "Predominantly minority-serving hospitals tend to be associated with lower quality and higher intensity treatment. Targeting minority service hospitals for performance improvement would, therefore, reduce disparities."