Impact of Concurrent Hospice Care on Primary Care Visits Among Children in Rural Southern Appalachia.
Mary Lou Clark Fornehed, Radion Svynarenko, Lisa C Lindley
PMID 35654707WHAT IT FOUND
Children in rural southern Appalachia in concurrent hospice care were more likely to visit a primary care provider during hospice.
The finding came from Medicaid administrative data on 460 children who died, not a randomized trial.
Key findings
01In the final cohort, concurrent hospice care was significantly related to primary care visits.
02Among the 460 children, 42.4% continued to visit a primary care provider during hospice enrollment, and 50.9% received concurrent hospice care.
03Other factors significantly related to primary care visits included younger age, Caucasian children, non-profit or government hospice services, and hospice services with pediatric programs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included only children who had died and had Medicaid claims, so it may not represent children with private or commercial insurance. The data are from 2011 to 2013, so current hospice and primary care practice may differ. The sample is limited to rural southern Appalachia, so findings may not apply to urban areas or other regions.
Declared interests
The supplied publication types list Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural. The article text provided does not include a conflicts-of-interest declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that concurrent hospice care caused primary care visits. The study used retrospective Medicaid claims for 460 deceased children in rural southern Appalachia, and the authors state the results may not generalize to privately insured children or outside the region.