Archives of internal medicine
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Heart failure is a common cause of death among Medicare beneficiaries, but little is known about health care resource use at the end of life. ⋯ Among Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure, health care resource use at the end of life increased over time with higher rates of intensive care and higher costs. However, the use of hospice services also increased markedly, representing a shift in patterns of care at the end of life.
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Hospice programs improve the quality of life and quality of death for men dying of cancer. We sought to characterize hospice use by men dying of prostate cancer and to compare the use of high-intensity care between those who did or did not enroll in hospice. ⋯ The proportion of individuals using hospice is increasing, but the timing of hospice referral remains poor. Those who enroll in hospice are less likely to receive high-intensity end-of-life care.
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Heart failure (HF) is a debilitating and chronic condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, much less is known about end-of-life (EOL) costs among patients with HF. ⋯ Resource use in the last 6 months of life among patients with HF in Alberta is changing, with a reduction in hospitalizations, in-hospital deaths, and an increase in the use of outpatient services. However, EOL costs are substantial and continue to increase.
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Letter Comparative Study
Use of neuroimaging in US emergency departments.