Hospice in a Minute

Name: Hospice in a Minute
Author: Augusta University

Augusta University

VALIDATED

Shows promise in preliminary research

For:Clinicians & Healthcare Professionals

Free

Download on the App Store

App Summary

'Hospice in a Minute' is a clinical reference tool that provides clinicians with quick access to hospice admission guidelines, communication tips, and patient resources to support the early identification of eligible patients. A preliminary pilot study (N=88) evaluating a similar emergency department intervention found that emergency physicians could identify hospice-eligible patients with 91% accuracy. The associated research concludes that such early identification is a feasible approach for improving and accelerating disposition to hospice care.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Hospice in a Minute is a clinical reference tool designed to provide rapid access to key information regarding hospice care. The system organizes content into distinct modules, including admission guidelines categorized by condition, frequently asked questions, and scripts to guide discussions with patients and families. The interface also integrates a local hospice locator, links to patient education videos, and a function for storing personal notes, consolidating essential resources for streamlined point-of-care decision-making and referral processes.

Evidence & Research Context

The app addresses a well-documented need for earlier identification of hospice-eligible patients, particularly in acute care settings.

A single-center pilot study (N=88) established the feasibility of an intervention to identify hospice-eligible patients within an academic emergency department.
In the study, emergency physicians demonstrated high prognostic accuracy, identifying appropriate patients for referral with 91% accuracy.
Facilitating a palliative care consultation for identified patients significantly increased the rate of discharge to hospice (57% vs. 30%, p=0.038).
The associated research highlights that structured support can improve the timeliness and appropriateness of hospice referrals from acute care environments.

Intended Use & Scope

This tool is intended for clinicians, including residents and experienced practitioners, as a point-of-care decision-support resource. Its primary utility is to facilitate the identification of hospice-eligible patients and support communication with patients and families. The app is a reference guide and does not replace comprehensive clinical evaluation, prognostic modeling, or formal palliative care consultation.

Studies & Publications

1 publication

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Pilot/Feasibility Study

A Pilot Trial to Increase Hospice Enrollment in an Inner City, Academic Emergency Department

Highet et al. (2016) · The Journal of Emergency Medicine

Emergency physicians accurately identified hospice-eligible patients and doubled hospice discharge rates.

Hospice is underutilized, with over 25% of enrolled patients receiving hospice care for 3 days or less. The inner city emergency department (ED) is a highly trafficked area for patients in the last 6 months of life, and is a potential location for identification of hospice-eligible patients and early palliative care (PC) intervention. We evaluated the feasibility of an ED PC intervention to identify hospice-eligible patients to accelerate PC consultation and hospice enrollment. This prospective, pilot study established a program in the ED via education and a direct line of communication between the ED and PC to identify hospice-eligible patients, with the goal of facilitating disposition to hospice within 24 h. Data were analyzed for time to PC consultation, length of stay, emergency physician (EP) appropriateness of referral, and time from hospitalization to mortality. In a 6-month period, EPs identified 88 hospice-eligible patients with 91% accuracy. Of the patients identified, 59% died within 3 months of their visit to the ED. Time to PC consultation was 2.3 days (SD 2.3), and 57% of those seen by PC were discharged to hospice, vs. 30% of those not consulted (p = 0.038). The potential median hospice length of stay was 31.5 days, better than for the institution as a whole. Our pilot study presents a unique approach to early identification and disposition of hospice-appropriate patients, and suggests EPs may have sufficient prognostic accuracy to perform this task.