Beschreibung:
<jats:sec><jats:title>Objective:</jats:title><jats:p> To determine whether hospice enrollment at the time of a terminal admission alters the length of stay (LOS) or costs compared with patients not enrolled in hospice. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods:</jats:title><jats:p> Retrospective chart review of all nontraumatic inpatient deaths of patients with a previous admission in the preceding 12 months at an academic hospital. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results:</jats:title><jats:p> 209 patients had a nontraumatic death and an admission in the year prior to the terminal admission. Patients enrolled in hospice had a shorter LOS ( P = .02) and lower cost ( P < .0001) than patients not enrolled at the time of their terminal admission. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions:</jats:title><jats:p> Enrollment in hospice during a terminal admission decreased cost and LOS. Hospice may be a way to provide more cost-effective, appropriate care to dying patients. </jats:p></jats:sec>