Rising Trend in Emergency Department Consultations for Hospice and Palliative Care
Emergency departments are increasingly serving as the primary point for initiating hospice and palliative care consultations, reflecting a significant shift in patient care approaches for serious illnesses.
Recent research indicates that emergency departments (EDs) are increasingly becoming a pivotal point for initiating hospice and palliative care (HPC) consultations, especially for patients with serious or terminal illnesses. A comprehensive study conducted across five Henry Ford Health EDs in the Detroit area analyzed 8,055 ED-initiated HPC consultations from 2016 to 2023. Findings reveal that although EDs are traditionally designed for urgent care, they are now serving as critical gateways for earlier engagement with hospice and palliative services.
The study showed a significant shift in provider practices: palliative care consultations accounted for 58% of all HPC referrals, reflecting a cultural transformation toward proactive symptom management and quality-of-life improvements initiated from the ED—rather than waiting for hospital admission or post-discharge community care.
Moreover, the data highlighted a decreasing trend in hospice referrals, which dropped from 48.2% to 21.9%, while palliative care referrals increased from 27.4% to 53.6% during the study period. The rise in HPC consultations was particularly notable after the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 173.6% increase over five years, illustrating heightened recognition of palliative care's importance during health crises.
Experts emphasize that this trend signifies a growing acknowledgment that early palliative interventions improve patient outcomes, satisfaction, and overall quality of life. The increasing integration of HPC into emergency care underscores the need for ongoing policy development, education, and research to meet the needs of patients with serious illnesses.
As palliative care remains a relatively recent specialty in the United States—becoming formally recognized with board certification in 2006—the expanding role of EDs in HPC indicates a positive shift toward more patient-centered, goal-oriented care. Healthcare providers are urged to continue advancing policies and training to support timely and effective HPC delivery in acute settings.
Source: [https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-emergency-departments-hospice-palliative.html]
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