QuickStats: Annual Number of Patients Discharged from Hospice Care, by Primary Diagnosis (Cancer Versus All Other Diseases)* --- United States, National Home and Hospice Care Survey, 1992--2007

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Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

* Primary diagnosis is assessed on admission for hospice-care services. Estimates are based on the number of discharged patients, the majority of whom leave hospice care at death. Some patients might discontinue care while living, some might reenter care, and some might have more than one episode of care in a 12-month period.

The figure above shows the annual number of patients discharged from hospice care, by primary diagnosis (cancer versus all other diseases) in the United States during 1992-2007. Use of hospice care increased from approximately 219,300 discharged hospice-care patients in 1992 to 1,045,100 in 2007. In 1992, three out of four patients (approximately 163,600) had a primary diagnosis of cancer, compared with 55,500 patients with all other diseases. In 2007, less than half of patients (42%) had a primary diagnosis of cancer, for a total of 447,600 cancer patients, compared with 597,500 patients with all other diseases.

Source: CDC. National Home and Hospice Care Survey data, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2007. Additional information available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhhcs.htm.

QuickStats: Annual Number of Patients Discharged from Hospice Care, by Primary Diagnosis (Cancer Versus All Other Diseases)* --- United States, National Home and Hospice Care Survey, 1992--2007