"Hospital Deaths Lead To Higher Health Costs For Bereaved Spouses" - Jonathan LaMantia

A person whose spouse dies in the hospital is more likely to incur higher medical costs in the following two years than someone whose spouse dies outside the hospital, according to a new study by a Mount Sinai researcher. The study, published today in Health Services Research, showed the death of a spouse in the hospital was associated with a 50 percent higher risk of an emergency department visit. The findings, while not proving causation, suggest that medical providers must consider the trauma involved when a loved one undergoes high-intensity care, said the study's author, Katherine Ornstein, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "We need to think about how end-of-life care impacts families," she said. "We need to think about how we can meet their needs."

• Katherine Ornstein, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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Politico New York