Objective: To investigate trends and associated factors of utilization of hospital palliative care among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and analyze its impact on length of hospital stay, hospital charges, and in-hospital mortality.
Methods: Using the 2005-2014 National Inpatient Sample in the United States, the compound annual growth rate was used to investigate the temporal trend of utilization of hospital palliative care. Multivariate multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the association with patient-related factors, hospital factors, length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and hospital charges.
Results: The overall proportion of utilization of hospital palliative care for the patient with SLE was 0.6% over 10 years. It increased approximately 12-fold from 0.1% (2005) to 1.17% (2014). Hospital palliative care services were offered more frequently to older patients, patients with high severity illnesses, and in urban teaching hospitals or large size hospitals. Patients younger than 40 years, the lowest household income group, or Medicare beneficiaries less likely received palliative care during hospitalization. Hospital palliative care services were associated with increased length of stay (β = 1.407, P < .0001) and in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 48.18; 95% confidence interval, 41.59-55.82), and reduced hospital charge (β = -0.075, P = .009).
Conclusion: Hospital palliative care service for patients with SLE gradually increased during the past decade in US hospitals. However, this showed disparities in access and was associated with longer hospital length of stay and higher in-hospital mortality. Nevertheless, hospital palliative care services yielded a cost-saving effect.
Keywords: hospices; hospital charges; hospital palliative care; in-hospital death; length of hospital stay; systemic lupus erythematosus.