Even at a hospital recognized for managing seriously ill patients, a systematic assessment of clinical measures associated with end-of-life care identified opportunities to improve treatment for those dying in the hospital, according to a report in the June 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Medical care during the last year of life accounts for 10 percent to 12 percent of the U.S. health care budget and 27 percent of Medicare expenditures, according to background information in the article. |
