Hospice and Palliative Care - Pain Assessment

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Palliative Care
Country
United States of America
Publishing Organisation
Partnership for Quality Measurement Geriatric and Palliative Care Project (formerly known as National Quality Forum Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Measures)
Type of Quality Indicator
Process
IOM Quality Dimension
Timeliness
Domain
Physical Aspects of Care

Defining Attributes

Definition

Percentage of hospice or palliative care patients who screened positive for pain and who received a clinical assessment of pain within 24 hours of screening.

Numerator

Patients who received a comprehensive clinical assessment to determine the severity, aetiology and impact of their pain within 24 hours of screening positive for pain.

Denominator

Patients enrolled in hospice OR receiving specialty palliative care in an acute hospital setting who report pain when pain screening is done on the admission evaluation / initial encounter.

Exclusions

Patients with length of stay < 1 day in palliative care. Patients who screen negative for pain are excluded from the denominator.

Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments

None

Stratifications

None

Collection and Reporting Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Electronic/paper chart records
Data Collection Methods

Data Source: Electronic Health Records

Frequency of Data Collection
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
Reporting Methods

The Level Of Analysis is performed at Facility and Clinician (Group/Practice) level.

Reporting Frequency
Reporting Frequency in Days
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Technical Specifications
Link to Measurement Tools

NQF Measure #1637 (endorsement removed on 17 November 2021)

Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
No
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
02 December 2025