Retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients in Tepecik Training and Research Hospital Internal Medicine Palliative Care Unit

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the patients hospitalized in palliative care unit of our hospital.
Patients and methods: In the study, clinical files of 258 patients (104 males, 154 females; mean age 61.4 years; range 19 to 93 years) hospitalized in
palliative care unit of internal medicine clinic of our hospital between 12 June 2013 and 31 December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Files of the patients were evaluated regarding sex, age, symptoms, clinical features, diagnosis, and duration of hospital stay.
Results: Of the patients, 86 (33.3%) were hospitalized due to malignancy and malignancy-related complications. Forty-four patients (17%) were hospitalized for completion of antibiotic treatment and 44 patients (17%) were hospitalized due to diabetes-related complications. Twenty patients (7.7%) who had been confined to bed due to Alzheimer’s disease, cerebrovascular disease or femur fracture were hospitalized for the care of their pressure ulcers and nutrition treatment. Mean duration of hospital stay was 9.4 days.
Conclusion: In the world, palliative care units and programs mainly focus on oncology patients. However, the increase in elderly population and chronic diseases all over the world increase the requirement for non-cancer palliative care.