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US Physicians Overwhelmingly Endorse Hospice as the Better Option for Most Patients at the End of Life.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Prochaska, MT; Putman, MS; Tak, HJ; Yoon, JD; Curlin, FA
Published in: Am J Hosp Palliat Care
July 2017

BACKGROUND: Utilization of hospice has increased significantly over the past 2 decades, but there has been no recent assessment of US physicians' opinions regarding and practices of referring patients to hospice. METHODS: We surveyed 2016 US physicians from various specialties. Respondents agreed or disagreed with 2 statements: "For most patients, hospice provides better care at the end of life than they would otherwise receive without hospice" and "Many patients who enter hospice end up missing out on medical interventions from which they would have benefited." Physicians were also asked, "In the past 12 months, approximately how many patients and/or their surrogates have you encouraged to consider entering hospice?" RESULTS: Ninety-eight percent of physicians agreed that hospice provides better care at the end of life than the patient would receive without hospice. Only 11% of physicians agreed that patients who enter hospice miss out on medical interventions from which they would have benefitted. Ninety-two percent encouraged at least 1 patient to consider hospice in the previous 12 months. Oncologists were the most ambivalent about whether patients who enter hospice miss out on beneficial interventions, but they also referred more patients to hospice than physicians from other specialties. CONCLUSION: US physicians overwhelmingly believe hospice is the best form of care for most patients at the end of life. Compared to a study published in 1998, the median oncologist reports referring fewer patients to hospice, but the median general internist reports referring more.

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Published In

Am J Hosp Palliat Care

DOI

EISSN

1938-2715

Publication Date

July 2017

Volume

34

Issue

6

Start / End Page

556 / 558

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Terminal Care
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Physicians
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Hospice Care
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
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Prochaska, M. T., Putman, M. S., Tak, H. J., Yoon, J. D., & Curlin, F. A. (2017). US Physicians Overwhelmingly Endorse Hospice as the Better Option for Most Patients at the End of Life. Am J Hosp Palliat Care, 34(6), 556–558. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909116636344
Prochaska, Micah T., Michael S. Putman, Hyo Jung Tak, John D. Yoon, and Farr A. Curlin. “US Physicians Overwhelmingly Endorse Hospice as the Better Option for Most Patients at the End of Life.Am J Hosp Palliat Care 34, no. 6 (July 2017): 556–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909116636344.
Prochaska MT, Putman MS, Tak HJ, Yoon JD, Curlin FA. US Physicians Overwhelmingly Endorse Hospice as the Better Option for Most Patients at the End of Life. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2017 Jul;34(6):556–8.
Prochaska, Micah T., et al. “US Physicians Overwhelmingly Endorse Hospice as the Better Option for Most Patients at the End of Life.Am J Hosp Palliat Care, vol. 34, no. 6, July 2017, pp. 556–58. Pubmed, doi:10.1177/1049909116636344.
Prochaska MT, Putman MS, Tak HJ, Yoon JD, Curlin FA. US Physicians Overwhelmingly Endorse Hospice as the Better Option for Most Patients at the End of Life. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2017 Jul;34(6):556–558.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Hosp Palliat Care

DOI

EISSN

1938-2715

Publication Date

July 2017

Volume

34

Issue

6

Start / End Page

556 / 558

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Terminal Care
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Physicians
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Hospice Care