OBJECTIVE: The use of palliative care (PC) screening criteria to trigger PC consultations may optimize the utilization of PC services, improve patient comfort, and reduce invasive and futile end-of-life care. The aim of the present study was to assess the criterion validity and inter-rater reliability of a PC screening tool for patients admitted to an emergency department intensive care unit (ED-ICU). METHOD: Observational retrospective study evaluating PC screening criteria based on the presence of advanced diagnosis and the use of two "surprise questions" (traditional and modified). Patients were classified at ED-ICU admission in four categories according to the proposed algorithm.ResultA total of 510 patients were included in the analysis. From these, 337 (66.1%) were category 1, 0 (0.0%) category 2, 63 (12.4%) category 3, and 110 (21.6%) category 4. Severity of illness (Simplified Acute Physiology Score III score and mechanical ventilation), mortality (ED-ICU and intrahospital), and PC-related measures (order for a PC consultation, time between admission and PC consultation, and transfer to a PC bed) were significantly different across groups, more evidently between categories 4 and 1. Category 3 patients presented similar outcomes to patients in category 1 for severity of illness and mortality. However, category 3 patients had a PC consultation ordered more frequently than did category 1 patients. The screening criteria were assessed by two independent raters (n = 100), and a substantial interrater reliability was found, with 80% of agreement and a kappa coefficient of 0.75 (95% confidence interval = 0.62, 0.88).Significance of resultsThis study is the first step toward the implementation of a PC screening tool in the ED-ICU. The tool was able to discriminate three groups of patients within a spectrum of increasing severity of illness, risk of death, and PC needs, presenting substantial inter-rater reliability. Future research should investigate the implementation of these screening criteria into routine practice of an ED-ICU.