title: Deaths in an academic medical center.
abstract: The number of inpatient deaths in a calendar year in an academic medical center was reviewed from a computerized database. The total number was 1222. The median length of hospital stay for those who died was 7 days (range, 1-190); 404 (33%) were 75 years or older. There were 678 (55%) males and 544 (45%) females. The pulmonary medicine service had the most deaths with 290 (24%) followed by hematology/oncology 230 (18%). The most common primary diagnoses in the decedents were subendocardial infarction 58 (5%), congestive heart failure 57 (5%), and pneumonia 45 (4%). The most common diagnostic-related groups (DRGs) were respiratory system disorders (475), 98 (8%); tracheostomy (483), 75 (6%); and heart surgery (110), 65 (5%). Frequent procedures done prior to death were mechanical ventilation (<96 hours) 101 (8%), and mechanical ventilation (>96 hours) 55 (5%), and tracheostomy 54 (4%). Invasive procedures were common. Forty-five percent of the predeath patient days were spent in intensive care units. Palliative medicine was involved in the care of 20% of all the decedents.
authors.affiliation: The Harry R. Horvitz Center for Palliative Medicine (A World Heath Organization Demonstration Project), Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Ruth L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lagman
authors.forename: Declan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kunkle
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: LeGrand
authors.forename: Mellar P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio