Trends in palliative care in Australian hospitals–key findings

In admitted patient settings in Australian hospitals in 2008–09:

• there were over 50,000 palliative care separations
• the average length of stay in hospital per palliative care separation was 12.5 days
• palliative care separations accounted for over 650,000 patient days
• half of palliative care separations were for patients aged less than 75 years
• although the majority of palliative care separations were due to cancer, 4 in 10 such separations were for patients with a principal diagnosis other than cancer

What has changed over time?

• there was a substantial increase (56%) in the number of palliative care separations in admitted patient settings during the 10-year period between 1999–00 to 2008–09
• the average length of stay per palliative care separation stayed fairly steady over the 10-year period

What proportion of deaths occurred in a hospital in 2008–09?

• just over half (52%) of all deaths in Australia occurred in an admitted patient setting in a hospital (this includes deaths that occurred in hospices affiliated with hospitals)

What proportion of those who died in hospital were a palliative care patient?

• among those who died as an admitted patient in 2008–09, 1 in 3 had been a palliative care patient during their final hospitalisation
• by contrast, among those who died as an admitted patient in 1999–2000, 1 in 5 had been a palliative care patient