Medicare Patients Are Less Likely to Die in a Hospital

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Where are Medicare patients most likely to die? A 2018 study done by Joan M. Teno, M.D., M.S., Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, and coauthors found that from 2000 to 2015 there was a decline in deaths in an acute-care hospital and an increase in deaths in a home or other community setting such as an assisted-living facility.

In addition, since 2009 there was a reduction in patients dying within three days of a transition in health care. Also, Intensive Care Uni (ICU) use in the last month of life has stabilized.

This study was presented at AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting in June 2018 in Seattle, Washington.

Here is the link to the article: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2018.8981

By Sondra Forsyth

Sondra Forsyth is Co-Editor-in-Chief of ThirdAge.com. She is a National Magazine Award winner with scores of major magazine bylines and twelve books to her credit. Her most recent book is “Candida Cleanse: The 21-Day Diet to Beat Yeast and Feel Your Best”. Sondra was Executive Editor at “Ladies’ Home Journal,” Features Editor at “Cosmopolitan,” and Articles Editor at “Bride’s”. A former ballerina, she founded Ballet Ambassadors, an arts-in-education company in New York City, and served as Artistic Director for 16 years.