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Despite considerable evidence of the value of palliative care for patients with terminal conditions, its initiation frequently occurs just days before death. In this Canadian cohort study, researchers explored differences in the type and timing of palliative care for 146,000 adults who died of cancer or noncancer illnesses (111,000 with cancer, 21,000 with organ failure, and 14,000 with dementia) and who received palliative care within 1 year of end of life.
Palliative care was more likely to be delivered ≥90 days before death in cancer versus in noncancer patients (29% vs. 15%). Conversely, noncancer patients were more likely to receive palliative care in their homes or in outpatient settings than were cancer patients (33% vs. 10%). Noncanc…