Influence of Peer Physicians on Intensity of End-of-Life Care for Cancer Decedents.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The intensity of end-of-life care varies substantially both within and between areas. Differing practice patterns of individual physicians are likely influenced by their peers.

Objective

To assess whether intensity of end-of-life care previously provided by a physician's peers influences patterns of care at the end-of-life for that physician's patients.

Research design

Observational study.

Subjects

A total of 185,947 fee-for-service Medicare enrollees with cancer who died during 2006-2010 who were treated by 26,383 physicians.

Measures

Spending in the last month of life, >1 emergency room visit, >1 hospitalization, intensive care unit admission in the last month of life, chemotherapy within 2 weeks of death, no/late hospice, terminal hospitali

SUBMITTER: Keating NL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6522329 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature