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Hospital-Based Palliative Care with Medicare Claims: Evidence From Colorado.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kassner, CT; Bhavsar, NA; Harker, M; Bull, J; Taylor, DH
Published in: Am J Hosp Palliat Care
January 2018

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hospital-based palliative care has been largely anecdotal as an increasing service being provided and there is a need to understand what trends can be analyzed with Medicare data. OBJECTIVE: To compare 2 methods of identifying hospital-based palliative care in the Medicare population in Colorado. STUDY DESIGN: Through Medicare claims data and phone surveys, we ascertained the presence of hospital-based palliative care services, number of patients receiving palliative care, and number of care visits provided during the previous year. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING: Data were collected from every Medicare-certified hospital in Colorado during 2008 and 2013. MEASUREMENTS: We measured the presence of hospital-based palliative care teams and their average number of consultations through a phone survey and cross-referenced using a v-code modifier of Medicare claims indicating a palliative care consult visit. RESULTS: The number of hospital-based palliative care consultations increased five-fold from 2008-2013, and Medicare claims under-counted the number of these consultations compared to phone surveys. CONCLUSION: The systematic measurement of palliative care nationally is a key priority. More evidence is needed from other states to better understand the usefulness of Medicare claims in this effort.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Am J Hosp Palliat Care

DOI

EISSN

1938-2715

Publication Date

January 2018

Volume

35

Issue

1

Start / End Page

66 / 68

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Telephone
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Palliative Care
  • Medicare
  • Insurance Claim Review
  • Humans
  • Hospitals
  • Gerontology
  • Data Collection
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Kassner, C. T., Bhavsar, N. A., Harker, M., Bull, J., & Taylor, D. H. (2018). Hospital-Based Palliative Care with Medicare Claims: Evidence From Colorado. Am J Hosp Palliat Care, 35(1), 66–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909117691020
Kassner, Cordt T., Nrupen A. Bhavsar, Matthew Harker, Janet Bull, and Donald H. Taylor. “Hospital-Based Palliative Care with Medicare Claims: Evidence From Colorado.Am J Hosp Palliat Care 35, no. 1 (January 2018): 66–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909117691020.
Kassner CT, Bhavsar NA, Harker M, Bull J, Taylor DH. Hospital-Based Palliative Care with Medicare Claims: Evidence From Colorado. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2018 Jan;35(1):66–8.
Kassner, Cordt T., et al. “Hospital-Based Palliative Care with Medicare Claims: Evidence From Colorado.Am J Hosp Palliat Care, vol. 35, no. 1, Jan. 2018, pp. 66–68. Pubmed, doi:10.1177/1049909117691020.
Kassner CT, Bhavsar NA, Harker M, Bull J, Taylor DH. Hospital-Based Palliative Care with Medicare Claims: Evidence From Colorado. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2018 Jan;35(1):66–68.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Hosp Palliat Care

DOI

EISSN

1938-2715

Publication Date

January 2018

Volume

35

Issue

1

Start / End Page

66 / 68

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Telephone
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Palliative Care
  • Medicare
  • Insurance Claim Review
  • Humans
  • Hospitals
  • Gerontology
  • Data Collection