NHPCO survey at a glance

Nearly nine out of 10 respondents to a recent survey conducted by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) of Alexandria, VA, and Harris Interactive of Rochester, NY, said they endorsed a consultation with end-of-life experts to inform patients with life-limiting illness of their care options. Other key findings of the survey include:

• Most Americans (86%) say they believe that people with a terminal illness would most like to receive end-of-life care at home. About one in ten (11%) say they feel that most terminal patients would most like to receive end-of-life care in an institution, and very few (3%) are not sure.

• Three out of five (63%) Americans consider hospices most knowledgeable about end-of-life care, nearly one out of five (17%) say physicians are most knowledgeable, one in ten (11%) say hospitals are most knowledgeable, and a small number (3%) consider palliative care most knowledgeable in helping terminal patients receive end-of-life care at home.

• There is no majority consensus on how end-of-life care is financed. Two out of five (42%) Americans say they think that most specialized end-of-life care is paid for by health insurance. Nearly one in five (17%) say they believe that most Americans pay for specialized end-of-life care out-of-pocket, while 15% say Medicare is the primary method of end-of-life care payment. A few Americans mention Medicaid (3%) or some other form of payment (6%) as the primary means of reimbursement for hospice care. Nearly one in five (17%) are not sure.

• A slight majority say they think physicians are truthful about life-limiting conditions, and nearly half say physicians provide adequate information on end-of-life options. Three out of five (62%) Americans say the health care system, including physicians, is truthful with patients about their life-limiting conditions, while three out of ten (28%) say the health care system isn’t truthful with patients about the end of life. One in ten (10%) are not sure.

• One-half (49%) of Americans say they believe that various end-of-life care options are adequately clarified for patients, while two in five (38%) think that the health care system does not adequately explain different care options. Thirteen percent are not sure.