The study examined common quality indicators and hospital spending on end-of-life care for chronically ill Medicare beneficiaries with one of three common medical conditions with evidence-based treatments — heart attack, pneumonia or congestive heart failure — in their last two years of life. This data was analyzed at an individual hospital level for 2,172 hospitals in the United States.
Researchers first grouped the hospitals by spending intensity. Among the one-fifth of hospitals who spent the least on end-of-life care, the average cost of care was $16,059. Among the highest one-fifth, the average cost of care was $34,742.
Researchers then compared the percentile scores of quality for the hospitals using data from process-of-care quality indicators from the Hospital Quality Alliance.
The study found no correlation between quality and spending on end-of-life care overall or by medical condition.
Read the Health Affairs article on the study on quality and cost of care.
