Differences in trends in discharge location in a cohort of hospitalized patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses receiving specialist palliative care: A retrospective cohort study.

Hospitalized patients without cancer were referred to specialist palliative care at a lower functional status, a poorer anticipated prognosis, and more likely for end-of-life care; and were more likely to die in hospital. Future studies are required to determine whether a proportion of hospital deaths in patients without cancer represent goal-discordant end-of-life care.