Das Gesundheitswesen
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Das Gesundheitswesen · Mar 2020
Comparative Study[Survey of Relatives' Perspective on Dying In The Hospital: A Comparison Between Departments of Internal Medicine and Palliative Care In Styria (Austria)].
Currently, 49% of deaths in Austria occur in a hospital which makes in-patient quality of care as well as quality of death and dying a highly relevant topic. In this article, we compare the quality of care and death and dying in departments of internal medicine and palliative care in hospitals from the perspective of relatives. ⋯ Against the background of the large proportion of individuals who die in hospitals in Austria, this exploratory study showed that relatives perceived both better quality of care and better quality of death and dying in the assessed departments of palliative care compared to the departments of internal medicine. Thus, a more comprehensive and systematic evaluation of the potential added value of palliative care teams in Austrian hospitals is recommended.