Clinical pathology differences in laboratory utilization in hospice and nonhospice units.
A significant difference can be observed between hospice and nonhospice philosophy. Nonhospice units direct its effort to cure and sustain patient's life using disease-modifying therapeutic procedures, while hospice units focus on patient's quality of life. However, despite the differences between the 2 basic philosophies in question, both approaches share 1 aspect in common: the correct diagnosis of the patient. In any case above, laboratory analysis is a valuable tool. This work aims to compare the laboratory utilization between nonhospice cancer and hospice cancer units. Laboratory requests from patients within a 1-year period were evaluated and the hospice laboratory profile was presented. We demonstrated that nonhospice unit had a major volume of requested laboratory test than hospice unit, but for inpatients this difference was not so dramatic.
INCa-Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Hospital do Câncer IV, Unidade de Cuidados Paliativos, Divisão Técnico Científica, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. leaugust@yahoo.com.br
Leandro A
LA
Barbosa
Pedro L
PL
Fernandes
Paulo C
PC
Muniz
Dione
D
Prates
D001293:Attitude to Death; D001938:Brazil; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010338:Pathology, Clinical; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*