Palliative Care Consultation in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: A Retrospective Study of Characteristics, Outcomes, and Unmet Needs.

Context Few studies have described the characteristics and palliative care needs in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Objectives Describing characteristics, consultation demands, patients\u27 needs, and outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who received a palliative care evaluation. Methods Retrospective chart review of patients (18+) with COVID-19 admitted to an academic quaternary center and seen by the Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine team from March 1st to May 11th, 2020. Socio-demographics, operational metrics, severity of illness, goals of care-advanced care planning documentation, and outcomes were analyzed. Results 376 (17.6%) out of 2138 COVID-19 admissions were seen by the consultation team. Compared with pre-pandemic (September 1st, 2019 to February 29th, 2020), overall new consults (205 vs. 371, p ConclusionDuring this pandemic, understanding inpatient specialized palliative care needs and the vulnerable populations driving these causes may encourage healthcare agencies, local, state, and federal governments to support the dedicated palliative care workforce