Describing the characteristics and healthcare use of high-cost acute care users at the end of life: a pan-Canadian population-based study.

High users - persistent and non-persistent - are medically complex and use a disproportionate amount of acute-care resources at the end of life. A greater understanding of the characteristics and circumstances that lead to persistently high use of inpatient services may help inform strategies to prevent hospitalizations and off-set current healthcare costs while improving patient outcomes.