Study: 16.3% of cancer patients did not receive hospice care until last 3 days of life

Many cancer patients do not receive hospice care until very close to death, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Researchers analyzed 64,264 cancer patients admitted to 12 hospices.

The study found that 16.3 percent of the patients had a length of stay that was three days or less, with significant variation among hospices. Also, among patients referred to hospice, patients who were admitted in the last three days of life were more likely to have a hematologic malignancy, were more likely to be male and married and were younger. Patients with Medicaid or self-insurance were less likely to be admitted to hospice within three days of death.

More articles on quality:

NYU Langone Medical Center to investigate breath test for early COPD detection
How MetroHealth Medical Center reduced HAIs by 38% since 2010
Study: Quality healthcare as important as avoiding risk factors for heart health

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Featured Whitepapers

Featured Webinars