Can someone please explain to me how a higher rate of people dying in hospitals is being interpreted as an unambiguous sign of a lower quality of care? Is the problem that they're supposed to be sending people home for hospice quicker?
Personally I can see this going either way- it could be a sign of hospital negligence to have an elevated hospital death rate, but to have a lower hospital death rate could just mean they're sending people home too early and they're dying outside the hospital.
The thought crossed my mind too. When my dad got the verdict that he was not treatable, he was sent home, with the possibility of getting care at home when needed. And the option of being back immediately, if pain treatment required it. Best option ever. And great care at home. Not intruding more than needed, very respectful, and very caring. And they would not only check how the patient was doing, also how the relatives were keeping up.
Lots of people die at home here, though it does differ per hospital.
There will be a 40% cutting back on care at home, next year though.
Probably will lead to more people dying in a hospital.