This measure aims to assess the timeliness of receipt of specialist palliative care. The desired outcome is that more people who receive specialist palliative care do so at least 3 months before death. his measure is about ensuring that people with life-limiting illnesses receive palliative care in a timely manner. Data are not currently available on all palliative care delivered in Australia, so this measure focuses on those people who received "specialist" palliative care. However, many people with a life-limiting illness can be well managed by primary and community care providers and may not require specialist palliative care services. The computation is: (Numerator ÷ Denominator) x 100.

Limitations: It can be very difficult for treating clinicians to predict time to death at the time of treatment and prognostic uncertainty is a barrier to timely assessment of palliative care needs. Further, people with life-limiting illnesses may choose not to access specialist palliative care even when it is recommended by clinicians. Due to data availability this measure focuses on those people who received "specialist" palliative care. However, not all people with life-limiting illnesses require specialist palliative care, and a palliative approach to care can be adopted by all care providers.

Number of people who died from a predictable death within the reference year and first received a specialist palliative care service (inpatient hospital care, outpatient hospital clinic services, and/or Medicare-subsidised consultations with palliative medicine specialist/physician) at least 3 months (91 to 365 days) before death.

Number of people who died from a predictable death within the reference year and received a specialist palliative care service within their last year of life (0 to 365 days before death).

Excludes hospital data from Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and all private hospitals nationally for this analysis, for the reference period. It omits services received by patients in specialised palliative care units in private hospitals/facilities. Further, the scope of the data asset does not include all settings in which specialist palliative care services may be delivered, such as in community health settings or by allied health professionals (for example, care provided in the home, or by ambulance, disability, or aged care services) that are not captured through Medicare-subsidised claim items.

Yes. Disaggregation by: State/territory, Age, Sex, Socioeconomic area, Remoteness Area, Cause of death, Service type (inpatient, outpatient, Medicare-subsidised).

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) National Integrated Health Service Information (NIHSI) linked data asset. The NIHSI, managed under the custodianship of the AIHW, is an enduring linked data asset that brings together state/territory hospitals data with national health administrative datasets using probabilistic linkage. Participation in and contribution to the NIHSI by states and territories is voluntary. However, this data collection does not present a complete picture of health service use, as it excludes hospital data from Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and all private hospitals nationally for this analysis, for the reference period.

Public reporting.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Development of the National Palliative Care Measures. Canberra (AU): AIHW; 2024. Available from: www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/0ecbb5b1-4f83-4706-85ef-b0852318b7df/aihw-hse254-development-of-the-national-palliative-care-measures.pdf. Accessed 04 September 2024.

www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/51fde10c-2fec-4da5-be4f-384cf0849b9a/national-palliative-care-measures.pdf?v=20240627211341&inline=true

www.aihw.gov.au/reports/palliative-care-services/national-palliative-care-measures/contents/appropriate/measure-4-2a-timely-care