Hospice Facts

Hospice care may prolong the lives of some terminally ill….
In a recent study, the mean survival was 29 days longer for hospice patients than for non-hospice patients.  In other words, patients who chose hospice care lived an average of one month longer than similar patients who did not choose hospice care.  Researchers selected 4,493 terminally ill patients with either congestive heart failure or cancer of the breast, colon, lung, pancreas, or prostate. The largest difference in survival between hospice and non-hospice was observed in congestive heart failure where the mean survival period jumped from 321 to 402 days.  The mean survival period was also significantly longer for hospice patients with lung cancer (39 days) and pancreatic cancer (21 days), while marginally significant for colon cancer (33 days).
Connor SR, Pyenson B, Fitch K, Spence C, Iwasaki K. Comparing hospice and nonhospice patient survival among patients who die within a three-year window. J Pain Manage. 2007 Mar;33(3):238-46

Hospice Saves Money

Findings of a major study demonstrated that hospice services save money for Medicare and bring quality care to patients with life-limiting illness and their families. Researchers at Duke University found that hospice reduced Medicare costs by an average of $2,309 per hospice patient. Additionally, the study found that Medicare costs would be reduced for seven out of 10 hospice recipients if hospice was used for a longer period of time. “More effort should be put into increasing short stays as opposed to focusing on shortening longer ones.”

Taylor DH Jr, Ostermann J, Van Houtven CH, Tulsky JA, Steinhauser K. What length of hospice use maximizes reduction in medical expenditures near death in the US Medicare program?
Soc Sci Med. 2007 Oct;65(7): 1466-78
2009 Edition, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization report Hospice Care in America