[Utilization of palliative care at the end of life in Germany: temporal trend (2016-2019) and regional variability].

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Germany, palliative care (PC) is provided on a homecare, inpatient, general, and specialized basis. Since little is currently known about the temporal course and regional differences in the forms of care, the present study was aimed to investigate this.

Method

In a retrospective routine data study with 417,405 BARMER-insured persons who died between 2016 and 2019, we determined the utilization rates of primary PC (PPC), specially qualified and coordinated palliative homecare (PPC+), specialized palliative homecare (SPHC), inpatient PC, and hospice care on the basis of services billed at least once in the last year of life. We calculated time trends and regional variability and controlled for needs-related patient characteristics and access-related county of com

SUBMITTER: Ditscheid B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10063517 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature