End-of-life care in Germany between 2016 and 2020 – A repeated cross-sectional analysis of statutory health insurance data

Background: The Hospice and Palliative Care Act of 2015 aimed at developing and regulating the provision of palliative care (PC) services in Germany. However, it remains unknown whether the act has impacted end-of-life care (EoLC) in Germany. Objective The present study examined trends in EoLC indicators between 2016–2020, in the context of Lower Saxony, Germany. Methods Repeated cross-sectional analysis was conducted on data from the statutory health insurance fund AOK Lower Saxony (AOK-LS), referring to the years 2016–2020. EoLC indicators were: (1) the number of patients receiving any form of outpatient PC, (2) the number of patients receiving generalist outpatient PC and (3) specialist outpatient PC in the last year of life, (4) the onset of generalist outpatient PC and (5) the onset of specialist outpatient PC before death, (6) the number of hospitalisations in the 6 months prior to death and (7) the number of days spent in hospital in the 6 months prior to death. Data for each year were analysed descriptively and a comparison between 2016 and 2020 was carried out using t-tests and chi-square tests. Results Data from 160,927 deceased AOK-LS members were analysed. The proportion of patients receiving outpatient PC remained consistent over time (2016 vs. 2020 p = 0.077). The number of patients receiving generalist outpatient PC decreased from 28.4% (2016) to 24.5% (2020; p < .001), whereas the number of patients receiving specialist outpatient PC increased from 8.5% (2016) to 11.2% (2020; p < .001). The onset of generalist outpatient PC moved from 106 (2016) to 93 days (2020; p < 0.001) before death, on average. The onset of specialist outpatient PC showed the reverse pattern (2016: 55 days before death; 2020: 59 days before death; p = 0.041). Conclusion Despite growing needs for PC at the end of life, the number of patients receiving outpatient PC did not increase between 2016–2020. Furthermore, specialist outpatient PC is being increasingly prescribed over generalist outpatient PC. Although the early initiation of outpatient PC has been proven valuable for the majority of people at the end of life, generalist outpatient PC was not initiated earlier in the disease trajectory over the study period, as was found to be true for specialist outpatient PC. Future studies should seek to determine how existing PC needs can be optimally met within the outpatient sector and identify factors that can support the earlier initiation of especially generalist outpatient PC. Trial registration The study “Optimal Care at the End of Life” was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00015108; 22 January 2019).