Table 3.
Demographic Characteristics and Illness Severity Markers of Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 Seen by the GAP Consult Team
| Demographic Information | No. (%) |
|---|---|
| Total no. | 376 |
| Age, median (IQR) [range] | 78 (70-87) [36-102], y |
| Sex | |
| Male | 212 (56) |
| Female | 164 (44) |
| Racea | |
| White | 178 (47.3) |
| Asian | 40 (10.6) |
| African American | 49 (13) |
| Other/multiracial | 4 (1.1) |
| Unknown | 105 (27.9) |
| Ethnicitya | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 67 (17.8) |
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 301 (80.1) |
| Unknown | 8 (2.1) |
| Languagea | |
| English | 292 (77.7) |
| Spanish | 38 (10.1) |
| Other | 46 (12.2) |
| Underserved populationb | 77 (20.5) |
| Underserved population racea,b | |
| White | 16 (20.8) |
| Asian | 5 (6.5) |
| African American | 24 (31.2) |
| Unknown | 32 (41.5) |
| Underserved population ethnicitya,b | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24 (31.2) |
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 50 (64.9) |
| Unknown | 3 (3.9) |
| LACE, median (IQR)c | 11 (9–13) |
| CRP mg/dl, median (IQR) | 12.9 (6.2–22.6) |
| D-dimer ng/ml, median (IQR) | 1832 (656.3–3419.3) |
| Any pressors | 191 (50.8) |
| Mechanical ventilationd | 196 (52.1) |
| Discharge dispositione | |
| Home | 24 (6.4) |
| Rehabilitation center | 20 (5.3) |
| Nursing home | 0 (0.0) |
| Expired | 243 (64.6) |
| Home with hospicef | 8 (2.1) |
| Inpatient hospiceg | 19 (5.1) |
| Other | 4 (1.1) |
| Admitted | 58 (15.4) |
Abbreviations: COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019; GAP = geriatrics and palliative medicine; IQR = interquartile range; CRP = C-reactive protein.
Race and language data were collected by self-report in prespecified fixed categories.
Medically underserved areas/populations are areas or populations designated by Health Resource and Service Administration (HRSA) as having too few primary care providers, high infant mortality, high poverty, or a high elderly population.20
LACE index evaluates length of stay (L), acuity of the admission (A), comorbidity of the patient (C) and emergency department use in the duration of 6 months before admission. It predicts short-term and long-term frequent admissions and short-term and medium-term mortality with a score ≥10 increasing the risk of death within 6 months of discharge by 6.8-fold among all ages.21
Defined as any patient with any other for intubation or mechanical ventilation.
Discharge disposition up to May 11th. Follow-up discharge disposition for patients still admitted to the hospital after May 11th are presented on Table 2.
For this study, hospice, refers to an insurance benefit provided in the U.S. for patients believed to have a terminal illness process (with a possible life expectancy of less than 6 months) and where disease-modifying treatments are not possible or looked for by the patient. This benefit provides support services that are delivered by a multidisciplinary team and that focus on improving quality of life. Hospice care is provided wherever a patient resides.
Inpatient hospice care refers to services provided by this insurance program, in a specialized facility, for patients having intractable symptoms that otherwise cannot be provided wherever they reside.