There are now 1800 hospitals in the U.S. with palliative care programs, meaning over 80 percent of patients hospitalized for critical illnesses can access these services, according to a study published in Health Affairs.
Here are three findings from the study.
1. In 2000, 25 percent of U.S. hospitals with over 50 beds had a palliative care program. By 2015, 75 percent of these facilities had a palliative care program.
2. Ninety percent of hospitals with over 300 beds now provide palliative care services.
3. Additionally, the study revealed 100 percent of the National Cancer Institute's Comprehensive Cancer Centers now provide palliative care services.