Trends of Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders, Hospice Care Utilization, and Late Referral to Hospice Care among Cancer Decedents in a Tertiary Hospital in Taiwan between 2008 and 2014: A Hospital-Based Observational Study

Abstract

The hospice care utilization among terminal cancer patients increased in most specialty departments from 2008 through 2014. The DOS did not increase, but the rate of late referrals increased. Further research should be conducted to investigate the factors behind late referrals and non-growing DOS.