Palliative Approach Remains Lacking in Terminal Hospital Admissions for Chronic Disease Across Rural Settings: Multisite Retrospective Medical Record Audit.

Introduction/aim: Despite clear benefit from palliative care in end-stage chronic diseases, access is often limited, and rural access largely undescribed. This study sought to determine if a palliative approach is provided to people with chronic disease in their terminal hospital admission.

Methods: Multisite, retrospective medical record audit, of decedents with a primary diagnosis of chronic lung, heart, or renal failure, or multimorbidity of these conditions over 2019.