Palliative Care and Intensivists' Different Perspectives on Specialist Palliative Care Engagement in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Care.

There is limited understanding of critical care (CC) and specialist palliative care (SPC) professionals' perceptions regarding the role and utility of SPC for patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). An 18-item survey was distributed via convenience sampling and snowballing strategies to CC and SPC attendings working with veno-venous ECMO patients. A total of 75 surveys were completed. Many CC professionals indicated that SPC consultation was not routinely helpful (5% vs. 71%, < 0.05). Responses varied on the appropriateness of discussing SPC with patients/families prognosis (81% SPC vs. 47% CC, < 0.05), end-of-life preferences (100% vs. 62%, < 0.05), goals of care (95% vs. 58%, < 0.05), and code status (76% vs. 43%, < 0.05). Most respondents indicated that psychosocial support and multidisciplinary team collaborations were within the SPC scope. CC professionals were less likely to indicate that discussion of the care trajectory with patients/families was within SPC scope.