Survival of Medicare Patients after Enrollment in Hospice Programs
New England Journal of MedicinePublished 18 July 1996Open access
Nicholas A. Christakis, José J. Escarce
Citations537
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TL;DR
Survival varied substantially according to diagnosis, even after adjustment for age and co-existing conditions, and it was longest for those with chronic lung disease, those with dementia, and those with breast cancer, while patients at for-profit, larger, outpatient, or newer hospices lived longer after enrollment than those in other types of hospice programs.
Abstract
Most patients who enter hospice care do so late in the course of their terminal illnesses. The timing of enrollment in hospice programs varies substantially with the characteristics of the patients and the hospices.
Keywords
MedicineHealth Professions
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