Reduction in Potentially Inappropriate Interventions in Trauma Patients following a Palliative Care Consultation.

Palliative care is expanding as part of treatment, but remains underutilized in trauma settings. Palliative care consultations (PCC) have shown to reduce nonbeneficial, potentially inappropriate interventions (PII), as decision for their use should always be made in the context of both the patient's prognosis and the patient's goals of care. To characterize trauma patients who received PCC and to analyze the effect of PCC and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders on PII in severely injured patients.

Palliative Care Consultations in Trauma Patients and Role of Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders: Propensity-Matched Study.

Objective: To delineate characteristics of trauma patients associated with a palliative care consultation (PCC) and to analyze the role of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders and related outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective study included 864 patients from 2 level one trauma centers admitted between 2012 and 2019.  Level 1 trauma centers are designated for admission of the most severe injured patients.