Palliative care for cancer patients near end of life

Publication: Palliative care for cancer patients near end of life in acute-care hospitals across Canada: a look at the inpatient palliative care code

Author(s): J. Tung, J. Chadder, D. Dudgeon, C. Louzado, J. Niu, R. Rahal, A. Sinnarajah

Description: Hospitals play an important role in the care of patients with advanced cancer: nearly half of all cancer deaths occur in acute-care settings. In this paper, the authors examine how often and how early in their illness patients with cancer might be receiving palliative care services in the two years before their death in an acute-care hospital in Canada.