Costs of end-of-life care: findings from the province of Saskatchewan.

As part of the Health Care Use at the End-of-Life in Western Canada Study, the Western Office of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) collaborated with the ministries or departments of health in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to characterize selected aspects of healthcare at the end of life. In-depth supplementary studies were also conducted for each of the four western provinces. Saskatchewan focused its analysis on healthcare costs in the two years before death. This paper provides a summary of data on healthcare costs for persons who died in Saskatchewan in the 2003-2004 fiscal year. It is based on a more in-depth report prepared for CIHI and Saskatchewan Health titled "Final Report of the Saskatchewan End-of-Life Care Project."