Death in the Hospital

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Abstract
ADVANCES IN medical science during the last half century mean people survive many acute illnesses that previously would have resulted in death. The majority of deaths in the United States occur in health care institutions, although in geriatric1 and hospice practices a larger percentage of individuals die at home. For the last quarter century, the medical, legal, and lay literature have discussed the appropriate use of technology and palliation in the care of dying patients. For many, death comes either as a gradual decline from chronic illness or as an acute exacerbation in the context of significant disease. Increasingly, the importance of a systematic approach to care of dying patients has been recognized.2-4