The Status of Ventilator-Dependent Patients Receiving Hospice Palliative Care

Background: 20-25% of patients with acute respiratory failure in Taiwan who use ventilators cannot successfully liberty the ventilator within 21 d. Their average age is about 70–78 y old, 61-77% are unconscious, and so far, few studies have explored hospice palliative care (HPC) is dependent on the utilization of ventilators. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to explore the current situation of ventilator-dependent patients in Taiwan receiving HPC. Methods: This study uses the data of the entire population profile of the National Health Insurance to explore the current situation of ventilator-dependent patients to join the HPC with the population-based retrospective matched cohort study. Analyze the ventilator-dependent patients age ≥ 18 y who used ventilators for more than 21 d during the period 2009–2017, and analyze the current status of ventilator-dependent patients who have joined the HPC. Results: From 2009 to 2017, a total of 186,533 long-term ventilator dependent patients, a total of 28,607 (15.34%) were enrolled in HPC, and the utilization rate of HPC increased year by year. Conclusions: The rate of patients who are dependent on ventilator in Taiwan who receive HPC is15.34%, and it is increasing year by year.