Impact and cost-effectiveness of synergy between embedded palliative care and quality improvement teams on EOL quality metrics and resources utilization in a community-based oncology practice.

32 Background: There is evidence that Palliative Care (PC) brings value to health care organizations by positively affecting outcomes and quality-of-care metrics, however hiring a full PC team may be challenging for community practices. This report describes the impact on end-of-life (EOL) quality metrics of a close collaboration between an embedded PC provider and the Quality Programs and Process Improvement (QPPI) team in a community-based oncology practice. Methods: Blue Ridge Cancer Care (BRCC) hired a PC physician in October of 2021 and in the following months created a QPPI team composed of a Senior Director, Nurse Navigators, Social Worker, and Health Equity Administrator. The PC provider and QPPI team established a close collaboration to optimize support and referrals to PC for patients with advanced cancer. This retrospective cohort review compared patients who received PC with those who did not. Metrics reviewed where hospice admissions and hospice length of stay (LOS) categorized in average LOS, >3 days and >30 days. Results: BRCC serves about 15,000 active patients a year, with more than 6,000 new consults, and a total of more than 60,000 visits. This analysis reviewed a total of 3,352 decedents from October 2021 through April 2024. Cumulative data are shown (Table). Conclusions: Our experience suggests that PC embedded in an Oncology practice can collaborate with the existing QPPI team to improve EOL quality metrics and save resources. Patients with PC Patients without PC Admitted to hospice 61% (n=166) 30% (n=962) Hospice > 3 days 84% (n=140) 52% (n=477) Hospice LOS >30 days 43% (n=71) 22% (n=202)