Impact of outpatient palliative care services on resource utilization and cost management in a capitated Medicare population

Impact of outpatient palliative care services on resource utilization and cost management in a capitated Medicare population
Journal of Palliative Medicine; Parag Bharadwaj, Gagandeep Gill, Nathan Dyjack, Lindsay Fahnestock, Lorie D'Amore, Shuinn Chang, Nancy Hanna, Tanya Dansky, Gwyn Merz, Annamarie Jones, David Kim, Manjit Randhawa; 3/25
The integration of palliative care into the U.S. health care system has grown significantly, with outpatient palliative care services (OPCSs) playing an increasingly vital role in managing patients with serious illnesses. Results [of this study] demonstrate substantial growth in OPCS enrollment, with a 129% increase from 2019 to 2023. Per-member-per-month costs showed a sustained reduction, with a 23% decrease by 2023. In addition, there were consistent reductions in ED [emergency department] visits and IP [in-patient] admissions, indicating effective outpatient care management. Patients transitioning from OPCS to hospice exhibited longer hospice stays, further emphasizing the benefits of early palliative care interventions.