Sourcebook : 2.9.1 Case Study - Parkland Health and Hospital System : 2.9.1.5 They Chalked Up Successes

Parkland staff reported positive results in all four domains targeted by the Breakthrough Series:

Continuity: Eligible patients receiving palliative services increased from 40 percent to 80 percent.
Advance care planning: Average number of days receiving palliative care services prior to death increased from 13 to 58 days.
Family support: Patients or families stating that they were very satisfied with services increased from 40 to 100 percent.
Pain management: Pain management goals are being achieved (there was a 50 percent increase in patients who state that they reach their pain goal), but no change in pain levels is visible as yet.

Palliative Services prior to the last month of life. Parkland Health and Hospital System, Dallas, TX. Average number of days receiving palliative services prior to death. Parkland Health and Hospital System, Dallas, TX. Patient/family satisfaction, Parkland Health and Hospital System. Dallas, TX.

Table 2.1 Palliative Care Service Accomplishments September 1997 to July 1998
	July 1997	Sept. 1997	Nov. 1997	Jan. 1998	March 1998	May 1998	July 1998
Patients received Palliative Services prior to the last month of life	40%	80%	87%	80%	76%	88%	80%
Average number of days receiving services before death	*	*	13	48	62	55	58
Patients receiving Hospice Services	*	*	63%	*	70%	60%	81%
Patients receiving Pastoral Care Consultants	*	*	6%	*	77%	94%	100%
Patients goals for Pain Management met	*	*	76%	*	67%	71%	71%
Patient or Family Satisfaction with Palliative Services	*	*	*	40%	80%	100%	100%
Patients receiving Social Services Referrals	*	*	64%	*	100%	100%	100%
N = 95 patients, *Not Measured
Reprinted with permission of Parkland Health and Hospital System, Dallas, TX

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This online version of the book Improving Care for the End of Life: A Sourcebook for Health Care Managers and Clinicians is provided with permission of Americans for Better Care of the Dying [ www.abcd-caring.org ] and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

For further information on quality improvement in end-of-life care visit The Palliative Care Policy Center [ www.medicaring.org ].