Terminal patients in Belgian nursing homes: a cost analysis.

Policy makers and health care payers are concerned about the costs of treating terminal patients. This study was done to measure the costs of treating terminal patients during the final month of life in a sample of Belgian nursing homes from the health care payer perspective. Also, this study compares the costs of palliative care with those of usual care.

Palliative inpatients in general hospitals: a one day observational study in Belgium.

Background: Hospital care plays a major role at the end-of-life. But little is known about the overall size and characteristics of the palliative inpatient population. The aim of our study was to analyse these aspects.

Costs of terminal patients who receive palliative care or usual care in different hospital wards.

Background: In addition to the effectiveness of hospital care models for terminal patients, policy makers and health care payers are concerned about their costs. This study aims to measure the hospital costs of treating terminal patients in Belgium from the health care payer perspective. Also, this study compares the costs of palliative and usual care in different types of hospital wards.

The costs of treating terminal patients.

Context: In addition to the effectiveness of terminal care, policy makers and health care payers are concerned about the costs of treating terminal patients in a context of spiraling health care costs and limited resources.

Objectives: This article aims to review the international literature on the costs of treating terminal patients.

Methods: Studies were identified by searching PubMed, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination databases, Cochrane Database, and EconLit, up to April 2009.