Andrea D Hill1, Therese A Stukel2, Longdi Fu2, Damon C Scales2, Andreas Laupacis2, Gordon D Rubenfeld2, Hannah Wunsch2, James Downar2, Kenneth Rockwood2, Daren K Heyland2, Samir K Sinha2, Camilla Zimmermann2, Sonal Gandhi2, Jeff Myers2, Heather J Ross2, Jean F Kozak2, Scott Berry2, Shelly P Dev2, Ignazio La Delfa2, Robert A Fowler2. 1. Departments of Critical Care Medicine (Hill, Scales, Rubenfeld, Wunsch, Dev, Fowler) and of Medicine (Gandhi, Berry), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Sunnybrook Research Institute (Hill); ICES (Stukel, Fu, Scales); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Stukel, Fowler), Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care (Scales, Rubenfeld, Wunsch, Dev, Fowler), Faculty of Medicine (Laupacis), Department of Anesthesia (Wunsch), Department of Medicine (Sinha, Gandhi, La Delfa), Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine (Zimmermann), and Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine (Myers), University of Toronto; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Laupacis) and Department of Palliative Care (La Delfa), St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; Departments of Medicine and Critical Care (Downar), Division of Palliative Care, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Divisions of Geriatric Medicine and Neurology (Rockwood), Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS; Department of Critical Care Medicine (Heyland), Queen's University, Kingston Ont.; Department of Medicine (Sinha) and Division of Palliative Care (Myers), Sinai Health System; Department of Medicine (Sinha), Division of Palliative Care, Department of Supportive Care (Zimmermann), and Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (Ross), University Health Network, Toronto, Ont.; School of Population and Public Health (Kozak), University of British Columbia; Department of Family and Community Medicine (Kozak), Providence Health Care, Vancouver, BC Andrea.Hill@sunnybrook.ca. 2. Departments of Critical Care Medicine (Hill, Scales, Rubenfeld, Wunsch, Dev, Fowler) and of Medicine (Gandhi, Berry), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Sunnybrook Research Institute (Hill); ICES (Stukel, Fu, Scales); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Stukel, Fowler), Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care (Scales, Rubenfeld, Wunsch, Dev, Fowler), Faculty of Medicine (Laupacis), Department of Anesthesia (Wunsch), Department of Medicine (Sinha, Gandhi, La Delfa), Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine (Zimmermann), and Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine (Myers), University of Toronto; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Laupacis) and Department of Palliative Care (La Delfa), St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; Departments of Medicine and Critical Care (Downar), Division of Palliative Care, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.; Divisions of Geriatric Medicine and Neurology (Rockwood), Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS; Department of Critical Care Medicine (Heyland), Queen's University, Kingston Ont.; Department of Medicine (Sinha) and Division of Palliative Care (Myers), Sinai Health System; Department of Medicine (Sinha), Division of Palliative Care, Department of Supportive Care (Zimmermann), and Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (Ross), University Health Network, Toronto, Ont.; School of Population and Public Health (Kozak), University of British Columbia; Department of Family and Community Medicine (Kozak), Providence Health Care, Vancouver, BC.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: High rates of health care utilization at the end of life may be a marker of care that does not align with patient-stated preferences. We sought to describe trends in end-of-life care and factors associated with dying in hospital. METHODS: We conducted a population-level retrospective cohort study of adult decedents in Ontario between Apr. 1, 2004, and Mar. 31, 2015, using linked administrative data sets, including the Office of the Registrar General for Deaths database, the hospital Discharge Abstract Database, the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System and physicians' billing claims (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). The primary outcome was place of death. To determine health care utilization and health care costs during the 6 months before death, we also identified admissions to hospital and to the intensive care unit, emergency department visits, and receipt of mechanical ventilation and palliative care. RESULTS: In the last 6 months of life, 77.3% of 962 462 decedents presented to an emergency department, 68.4% were admitted to hospital, 19.4% were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 13.9% received mechanical ventilation. Forty-five percent of all deaths occurred in hospital, a proportion that declined marginally over time, whereas receipt of palliative care increased during terminal hospital admissions (from 14.0% in fiscal year 2004/05 to 29.3% in 2014/15, p < 0.001) and in the last 6 months of life (from 28.1% in 2004/05 to 57.7% in 2014/15, p < 0.001). The proportion of decedents who presented to the emergency department, were admitted to hospital or were admitted to the intensive care unit in the last 6 months of life did not change over 11 years. The mean total health care costs in the last 6 months of life were highest among those dying in hospital, with most costs attributable to inpatient medical care. INTERPRETATION: Health care utilization in the last 6 months of life was substantial and did not decrease over time. It is possible that increased capacity for palliative, hospice and home care at the end of life may help to better align health system resources with the preferences of most patients, a topic that should be explored in future studies. Copyright 2019, Joule Inc. or its licensors.
BACKGROUND: High rates of health care utilization at the end of life may be a marker of care that does not align with patient-stated preferences. We sought to describe trends in end-of-life care and factors associated with dying in hospital. METHODS: We conducted a population-level retrospective cohort study of adult decedents in Ontario between Apr. 1, 2004, and Mar. 31, 2015, using linked administrative data sets, including the Office of the Registrar General for Deaths database, the hospital Discharge Abstract Database, the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System and physicians' billing claims (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). The primary outcome was place of death. To determine health care utilization and health care costs during the 6 months before death, we also identified admissions to hospital and to the intensive care unit, emergency department visits, and receipt of mechanical ventilation and palliative care. RESULTS: In the last 6 months of life, 77.3% of 962 462 decedents presented to an emergency department, 68.4% were admitted to hospital, 19.4% were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 13.9% received mechanical ventilation. Forty-five percent of all deaths occurred in hospital, a proportion that declined marginally over time, whereas receipt of palliative care increased during terminal hospital admissions (from 14.0% in fiscal year 2004/05 to 29.3% in 2014/15, p < 0.001) and in the last 6 months of life (from 28.1% in 2004/05 to 57.7% in 2014/15, p < 0.001). The proportion of decedents who presented to the emergency department, were admitted to hospital or were admitted to the intensive care unit in the last 6 months of life did not change over 11 years. The mean total health care costs in the last 6 months of life were highest among those dying in hospital, with most costs attributable to inpatient medical care. INTERPRETATION: Health care utilization in the last 6 months of life was substantial and did not decrease over time. It is possible that increased capacity for palliative, hospice and home care at the end of life may help to better align health system resources with the preferences of most patients, a topic that should be explored in future studies. Copyright 2019, Joule Inc. or its licensors.
Authors: Harriette G C Van Spall; Andrea D Hill; Longdi Fu; Heather J Ross; Robert A Fowler Journal: J Am Heart Assoc Date: 2020-12-16 Impact factor: 5.501
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Authors: Mariska G Oosterveld-Vlug; Marianne J Heins; Manon S A Boddaert; Yvonne Engels; Agnes van der Heide; Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen; Anna K L Reyners; Anneke L Francke Journal: BMC Palliat Care Date: 2022-04-12 Impact factor: 3.234
Authors: Manon S Boddaert; Chantal Pereira; Jeroen Adema; Kris C P Vissers; Yvette M van der Linden; Natasja J H Raijmakers; Heidi P Fransen Journal: BMJ Support Palliat Care Date: 2020-12-22 Impact factor: 4.633
Authors: Manon S Boddaert; Joep Douma; Anne-Floor Q Dijxhoorn; René A C L Héman; Carin C D van der Rijt; Saskia S C M Teunissen; Peter C Huijgens; Kris C P Vissers Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-03-23 Impact factor: 3.240