Hospital stay frequency and duration of patients with advanced cancer diseases - differences between the most...

The differences in the number and duration of hospital stays of cancer patients in an advanced stage of disease were to be examined with regard to the most frequent cancer diagnoses. Therefore, routinely compiled data of the largest health insurance company in the State of Lower Saxony, Germany, were analysed. Patients with lung, colon, breast and prostate cancer were included, who died in the year of 2004. The parameters of frequency (case numbers) and duration (days) of inpatient hospital stays were examined for the 5-year period of 2000-2004, with special focus on the years 2003/2004. 355 patients were included. On average, the number of inpatient hospital stays amounted to 2.7 cases and 29 days per patient. 87.5% of the hospital stays within the study period occurred in 2003/2004. The patient groups differed significantly both in the average number of cases and in the duration of hospital stays (Kruskal-Wallis test: P<0001), whereby patients with lung cancer underwent inpatient hospital treatment most frequently (3.3 times), and for the longest periods (35 days). This study shows that patients in an advanced stage of lung cancer are a particular important target group for reducing hospitalization at the end of life. They should receive special attention when structures of palliative care are extended.