Primary Palliative Care for Emergency Medicine

JAMA Network January 15, 2025
Corita R. Grudzen, MD, MSHS; Nina Siman, MA, MSEd; Allison M. Cuthel, MPH; Oluwaseun Adeyemi, MBBS, PhD; Rebecca Liddicoat Yamarik, MD; Keith S. Goldfeld, DrPH, MS, MPA4; and the PRIM-ER Investigators

Key Points

Question What is the effect of a multicomponent intervention to initiate palliative care in the emergency department on hospital admission in older adults with serious, life-limiting illness?

Findings In this cluster randomized clinical trial, which was conducted at 29 US emergency departments and included 98 922 initial visits, there was no difference in the rate of hospital admission in older adults with serious, life-limiting illness receiving care before (64.4%) vs after (61.3%) emergency department clinical staff receipt of a multicomponent primary palliative care intervention.

Meaning A multicomponent primary palliative care intervention did not have an effect on hospital admission in older adults with serious, life-limiting illness.

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