Mrs Anita Hartati1, Kylie Draper1, Sabina Clapham1
1Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration, Wollongong, Australia
Biography:
Anita Hartati is an Improvement Facilitator with PCOC and a Registered Nurse with 14 years of experience in clinical practice and healthcare project management. She holds a Master of Clinical Nursing and Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics. For Anita, data-driven decision making in healthcare is profoundly nuanced, as each data point reflects a patient's story, the dedication of their families and carers, the efforts of healthcare professionals who strive to provide the best care, and the complex factors influencing health out-comes.
Abstract:
Background:
The Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) is a national voluntary program dedicated to improving the quality and outcomes of palliative care in Australia. Participation has grown steadily—now capturing approximately 20% of all-cause deaths—Despite this progress, national data reveal persistent trends in access that warrant closer examination.
Aims:
To explore national trends in palliative care referrals, duration of care, and disease profiles over the past decade.
Methods:
Aggregated national PCOC data from 2014-2024 were analysed to identify trends in service entry points, care duration and diagnostic categories.
Results:
–Hospitals remain the dominant entry point for palliative care-accounting for two-thirds of referrals, a pattern unchanged over the last decade. Referrals from community services and general practitioners remain consistently low.
–The median duration of palliative care is 11 days (average 34 days) with no significant change over time.
–The proportion of patients with non-malignant conditions increased from 22.6% to 38%. Dementia— now the fastest growing cause of death in Australia – rose from 1.9% to 6.3%.
–Despite four of the top five leading causes of death being non-malignant (AIHW, 2025) access to palliative care for these conditions remains limited- highlighting a critical gap in service equity.
Conclusions:
A decade of national data reveals that while participation in PCOC has expanded, longstanding patterns in access persist. The findings underscore the need for targeted strategies to improve referral pathways, extend care duration and ensure equitable access for people with non-malignant and progressive conditions such as dementia.
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