Sharp decline in early outpatient palliative care despite HMP workforce growth
04/30/24 at 03:00 AM
Sharp decline in early outpatient palliative care despite HMP workforce growth
Clinical Pain Advisor; by Lisa Kuhn, PhD; 4/26/24
While the number of US Medicare hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) physicians has increased sharply from 2008 to 2020, early outpatient access to specialized care declined significantly during this period, with care concentrated in metropolitan and inpatient settings, according to study results published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of HPM fellows increased from 141 to 401. However, recent estimates suggest insufficient capacity to meet the demand for palliative care and hospice needs.