Pro-active Palliative Care for Hospitalized Primary Care Patients.

Background: Early integration of palliative care (PC) improves outcomes for patients with cancer and heart failure. Data on the role of PC in complex general medicine patients is scant.

Measures: We identified high-mortality risk patients from our primary care practice by screening with mortality indices upon hospital admission.

Are Opioid Infusions Used Inappropriately at End of Life? Results From a Quality/Safety Project.

Context: Opioid continuous infusions are commonly used for end-of-life (EOL) symptoms in hospital settings. However, prescribing practices vary, and even the recent literature contains conflicting protocols and guidelines for best practice.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of potentially inappropriate opioid infusion use for EOL comfort care at an academic medical center, and determine if inappropriate use is associated with distress.