Hospice Care Used More, But Often Too Late by Janice Lloyd. USA TODAY. February 5, 2013.
According to this study of Medicare records twice as many people died in hospice care as in a nursing home or hospital compared with a decade ago. However, records of patient transitions indicate that the essential purpose of hospice, to address the holistic needs of dying patients, is not being fulfilled. Hospice is often viewed as a the end point after intensive medical procedures have proved futile instead of part of a plan to fulfill the patients wishes. What is needed is more communications with patients and an end to aggressive care at the end of life.
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