Hospice Inpatient Unit Research Articles

Preferences for end-of-life care settings among the healthy population in Israel-Related socio-demographic variables.

Preferences for end-of-life (EoL) care settings is of considerable interest for developing public health policy and EoL care strategies. Culture, the cause of illness, and background characteristics may impact preferences. The present study aimed to explore preferences for EoL care settings: homes, hospitals, and inpatient hospice units among the general healthy population in Israel. Possible associations between the setting preferences and socio-demographic characteristics were also examined. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 311 healthy adults who were recruited through a representative internet panel of the Israeli population using the Israeli census sampling method. The sex ratio was almost 1:1 with 158 women (50.8%) and 153 men (49.2%). All participants completed self-report measures using an online survey system. The questionnaires assessed sociodemographics and preferences for EoL care settings. This survey revealed that 52.1% of the participants expressed preference for being cared for at home rather than in an inpatient hospice unit, 40.8% expressed being cared for at home rather than in a hospital, while 36.7% had no preference regarding being cared for in hospital or in a hospice unit. Among the socio-demographic variables, only age and gender were found to be significantly associated with preferences for EoL care settings. The present study highlights the need to be cautious when regarding home as the preferred EoL care setting, as some individuals declared that they would prefer EoL hospice/hospital care. Age and gender should be considered when discussing and tailoring strategies regarding EoL preferences.

For the Love of Alma, Black Hopes Matter.

For the Love of Alma, Black Hopes Matter.

Delirium Education in Hospice Care: A Quality Improvement Project.

Diagnosing delirium in hospice patients is challenging owing to the multifactorial causes and symptoms of delirium that can mimic natural end-of-life processes. When delirium goes unrecognized in hospice patients, preventable causes can be left untreated, leading to sequelae that are misaligned with the principles of hospice care. We conducted an evidence-based quality improvement project on a 10-bed inpatient hospice unit aimed at increasing nursing staff knowledge about assessing delirium, with a focus on preventable causes. Nurses were trained in use of the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale, which was implemented over a 5-week period. Increases in knowledge were evaluated with a pretest and posttest. We used a paired t test to determine knowledge improvement. Use of the tool was evaluated using a survey. Nurses demonstrated significantly improved knowledge after the educational session (P = .009). Survey results indicated overwhelmingly that nurses valued having an easy-to-use tool to assess delirium in their patients. Because we used a paper-based tool during the project, which was found to be cumbersome by staff, our next steps are to determine the feasibility of implementing the tool into the electronic medical record.

Is Inpatient Hospice Unit Utilization Affected By The Availability Of A Pediatric Specific Unit?

Is Inpatient Hospice Unit Utilization Affected By The Availability Of A Pediatric Specific Unit?

Midazolam and hydroxymidazolam plasma concentrations can be monitored with selected biochemical and physiological parameters of palliative care patients

Rationale & objectiveMidazolam is one of top three drugs used in palliative care. Its use increases in the last days of hospice patients’ lives while safe dosage can be challenging. Equations currently used to estimate glomerular filtration rate, e.g: the Cockroft-Gault (eGFRCR) and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (eGFRMDRD) ones, do not generate precise calculations, especially in palliative patients exhibiting variations in body parameters. Our aim was to seek new relationships between mean midazolam (Mavg) and alfahydroxymidazolam (OH-Mavg) concentrations in plasma, and selected biochemical and physiological parameters of palliative patients, to enable optimal midazolam pharmacotherapy. Study design, participants and interventionsThe pilot study included 11 Caucasians, aged 42–95, with advanced cancer disease, receiving midazolam in a hospice in-patient unit. We tested correlations among Mavg, BMI, eGFRMDRD, midazolam clearance (CL), OH-Mavg, bilirubin (Bil) and blood creatinine concentration (Cr). F test and leave-one out (LOO) validation was applied to verify the correlations’ significance and predictive ability. ResultsWe found ten statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlations related to midazolam pharmacokinetics and physiological factors. We formulated two equations with high degree of predictive ability, based on the eGFRMDRD→CL and the (Bil + BMI × Ln(Cr))→Mavg-(OH-Mavg) correlations.The limitations of the study mainly revolve around its pilot nature and the need to continue testing the results on a bigger population.No funding to disclose. ConclusionsThe significance of correlations corresponding to the arithmetic expressions confirms that Bil, BMI, Ln(Cr) analyzed simultaneously report a series of processes on which midazolam metabolism depends. Two of ten correlations proposed came close to meet all LOO validation criteria. Current findings can help optimize midazolam treatment in palliative therapy.

A Model Hospice Inpatient Unit Specializing in Patients Living with Advanced Dementia.

Objective: This report describes a pilot hospice inpatient unit dedicated to individuals experiencing distressing behaviors from dementia. Background: Patients with dementia who experience distressing symptoms cannot be well managed on typical inpatient units. Hospice of the Valley selected one unit to dedicate to dementia care. Methods: Data were analyzed from 237 patients admitted to the unit between May 2019 and April 2020. Behaviors were identified and rated for severity on admission, discharge, and postdischarge. Rates of inpatient death and associated behaviors were calculated. Results: Fifty percent of patients had their behaviors sufficiently managed to allow discharge. The most common behavior exhibited was agitation; the most common symptom leading to death was pain. Discussion: An inpatient hospice unit dedicated to patients with dementia can be successful. The hospice agency gains admissions that would otherwise be diverted to behavioral care settings. This successful pilot may be a model for other hospices.

Providing End-of-Life Care for Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices: Experience of a Hospice Agency

ContextPatients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) need expert palliative care at the end of life. In the U.S., hospice may provide this care, but few patients enroll, and information about hospice experience with LVAD-implanted patients is limited. ObjectiveTo describe hospice experience with LVAD-implanted patients. MethodsThis is a retrospective descriptive study of all LVAD-implanted patients admitted to a hospice agency. Data were extracted from the electronic health record. ResultsThe 13 patients had a mean age of 63 years (range 20–89) and a mean LVAD duration of 32.5 months (range 8.2–70.0). Hospice diagnosis was heart failure in 10 patients and cancer in three patients; all patients were multimorbid. Eight patients enrolled in hospice on one occasion, four had two enrollments, and one had five. All patients received services for <180 days, three for <7 days, and four patients for >90 days. Just-in-time inservicing was used to prepare hospice teams for challenging care needs, including bleeding, delirium, infections, and mechanical failure. Of the nine patients who died while receiving hospice services, one enrolled with a plan to deactivate the LVAD immediately after hospice enrollment, and six died after discontinuation of the LVAD or other life-sustaining therapy during the course of hospice care. Five deaths occurred in a hospice inpatient unit. ConclusionTo provide specialist palliative care to LVAD-implanted patients, hospices must be prepared to manage complex and highly varied needs. To do this, hospices must have adequate staff support and access to acute care.

The Association Between Hospital End-of-Life Care Quality and the Care Received Among Patients With Heart Failure

ContextImproving end-of-life care (EOLC) quality among heart failure patients is imperative. Data are limited as to the hospital processes of care that facilitate this goal. ObjectivesTo determine associations between hospital-level EOLC quality ratings and the EOLC delivered to heart failure patients. MethodsRetrospective analysis of the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and the Bereaved Family Survey data of heart failure patients from 2013 to 2015 who died in 107 VA hospitals. We calculated hospital-level observed-to-expected casemix-adjusted ratios of family reported excellent EOLC, dividing hospitals into quintiles. Using logistic regression, we examined associations between quintiles and palliative care consultation, receipt of chaplain and bereavement services, inpatient hospice, and intensive care unit death. ResultsOf 6256 patients, mean age was 77.4 (SD = 11.1), 98.3% were male, 75.7% were white, and 18.2% were black. Median hospital scores of “excellent” EOLC ranged from 41.3% (interquartile range 37.0%–44.8%) in the lowest quintile to 76.4% (interquartile range 72.9%–80.3%) in the highest quintile. Patients who died in hospitals in the highest quintile, relative to the lowest, were slightly although not significantly more likely to receive a palliative care consultation (adjusted proportions 57.6% vs. 51.2%; P = 0.32) but were more likely to receive chaplaincy (92.6% vs. 81.2%), bereavement (86.0% vs. 72.2%), and hospice (59.7% vs. 35.9%) and were less likely to die in the intensive care unit (15.9% vs. 31.0%; P < 0.05 for all). ConclusionPatients with heart failure who die in VA hospitals with higher overall EOLC quality receive more supportive EOLC. Research is needed that integrates care processes and develops scalable best practices in EOLC across health care systems.

CN19 Healthcare professionals' perception about end-of-life conversations: An observational cross-sectional study

End-of-life (EOL) conversations are one of the most challenging aspects for Healthcare Professionals (HPs). It is crucial to collect patients' wishes about life-sustaining treatments, advanced care planning, preferences about interventions' timeframe, and how to live the last phase of their life. Furthermore, the same concerns are present in the personal life of HPs. They reported feeling insufficiently skilled for EOL conversations. Also, although professional education programs on communication skills in clinical settings are mostly available; it is less common to stimulate HPs in reflecting on their values and preferences if they were near the end of life. This study aimed to describe HPs' wishes regarding interventions and treatments they would like if they were in the hypothetical condition of EOL. A descriptive correlation research design was used to determine whether there were any associations between personal and professional characteristics and EOL conversations' wishes of HPs in the north of Italy. Inclusion criteria were being nurses, physicians, nursing assistants, informed consent. Those who had already completed the questionnaire were excluded. The Conversation Starter Kit was adapted to a self-administered, web-based questionnaire format. A total of 737 HPs accepted to participate, and 467 questionnaires were returned. Most of them were completed by nurses (60%) and females (68%). The mean age was 45 (±11) years. If HPs had a terminal illness, hospice and rehabilitation inpatient unit’s HPs would prefer to know their prognosis when compared to surgical units' HPs OR=8.635 (95%CI 1.548 – 48.162) p=0.014 and OR=2.78 (95%CI 1.083-7.138) p=0.034, respectively. When compared to physicians, nursing assistants and nurses were over two times more likely to prefer receiving medical care even if treatments had severe side effects OR=2.755 (95%CI 1.218 – 6.23), p=0.015; and OR=2.551 (95%CI 1.206 – 4.982), p =0.006, respectively. This preference was 35% less likely to occur when HPs attended palliative care courses OR=0.655 (95%CI 0.431 – 0.997), p=0.048. This study may support HPs feel better equipped to address EOL conversations with patients and their families.

Outcomes of Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Unit, and Role of Physician Assistants as Emerging Work Force in Upstream Inpatient Palliative Care (RP523)

Outcomes of Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Unit, and Role of Physician Assistants as Emerging Work Force in Upstream Inpatient Palliative Care (RP523)

Participating in the personal care of a person living with a life-limiting illness in a hospice inpatient setting: the informal caregiver's perspective.

Using semi-structured interviews, this descriptive qualitative research study examined informal caregivers' perspectives of participating in the personal care of a person living with a life-limiting illness within one hospice inpatient setting. Some 10 principal, informal caregivers of hospice inpatients were recruited by means of purposive sampling, using posters displayed in the hospice inpatient unit. Thus, participation was entirely 'opt-in'. A flash card was displayed at the beginning of each interview to determine a definition of personal care. Field notes and digital audio recording were used to capture data collected. Data were thematically analysed and demonstrated that informal caregivers' perceptions of personal care included everything that allowed the patient to remain the person they were. Informal caregivers reported an acceptable balance between being able to carry out personal care and hospice nursing staff involvement, despite no discussions being carried out to establish their wishes. Prior experiences of informal caregiving, and individual caregiver preparedness, contributed to negative and positive feelings about participating in personal care. Informal caregivers reported additional support and education needs associated with being able to participate in the personal care of patients on discharge and in the future. The emergent themes provide palliative care practitioners with direction for professional practice and research around supporting informal caregivers participating in personal care. Healthcare professionals need to clarify terminology of personal care by having dialogues with informal caregivers and acting on these accordingly. However, not all informal caregivers want such conversations. Consequently, healthcare professionals should approach this topic sensitively. Healthcare professionals ought to be asking informal caregivers if they wish to participate in personal care. Hospice nurses need to engage, support and educate informal caregivers about personal care. Furthermore, they should help to maintain and develop the skills of those informal caregivers who want to continue to play this role and not allow them to become deskilled.

Pharmacy-Led Quality Improvement Project on Pain Control Using Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion of Opioids in an Inpatient Hospice Unit.

The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to improve the overall process of implementing continuous subcutaneous infusion of opioids (CSCIOs) at the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center and characterize their use in the hospice unit. A retrospective chart review from July 2014 to August 2017 was conducted to identify patients who had received CSCIO. Results were analyzed with descriptive statistics.The business philosphy, LEANmethodology "The 5 Whys" was utilized to identify the root causes for delayed infusion timeliness and corrections were implemented by August 2018. Follow-up retrospective time study completed from September 2018 to February 2019. Of the 107 patients identified, 7 were excluded and 100 were reviewed. The mean age was 73 years, 94% male, and 86% Caucasian. A total of 55 veterans received morphine with an average final infusion rate of 2.5 mg/h. A total of 45 Veterans received hydromorphone with a final infusion rate of 1.3 mg/h. The average infusion duration until death was 5 days. Pharmacy verified 94 (94%) orders and nursing verified 55 (55%) orders within 1 hour (gold standard). Sixteen (16%) patients received CSCIO within 1 hour. The 5 Whys identified nursing order verification and pharmacy lack of visual STAT order notification for priority as the potential sources for infusion timeliness improvement. The follow-up time study confirmed improvement in pharmacy delivery time from 29% to 75% on time. Pharmacist-led intervention directed to improve CSCIO processes in an inpatient hospice unit utilizing LEAN QI methodology increased timeliness of pharmacy CSCIO delivery.

Differences in Caregiver Reports of the Quality of Hospice Care Across Settings.

To examine variation in reported experiences with hospice care by setting. Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Hospice (CAHPS®) Survey data from 2016 were analyzed. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to examine differences in measure scores by setting of care (home, nursing home [NH], hospital, freestanding hospice inpatient unit [IPU], and assisted living facility [ALF]). A total of 2636 US hospices. A total of 311 635 primary caregivers of patients who died in hospice. Outcomes were seven hospice quality measures, including five composite measures that assess aspects of hospice care important to patients and families, including hospice team communication, timeliness of care, treating family member with respect, symptom management, and emotional and spiritual support, and two global measures of the overall rating of the hospice and willingness to recommend it to friends and family. Analyses were adjusted for mode of survey administration and differences in case-mix between hospices. Caregivers of decedents who received hospice care in a NH reported significantly worse experiences than caregivers of those in the home for all measures. ALF scores were also significantly lower than home for all measures, except providing emotional and spiritual support. Differences in NH and ALF settings compared to home were particularly large for hospice team communication (ranging from -11 to -12 on a 0-100 scale) and getting help for symptoms (ranging from -7 to -10). Consistently across all care settings, hospice team communication, treating family member with respect, and providing emotional and spiritual support were most strongly associated with overall rating of care. Important opportunities exist to improve quality of hospice care in NHs and ALFs. Quality improvement and regulatory interventions targeting the NH and ALF settings are needed to ensure that all hospice decedents and their family receive high-quality, patient- and family-centered hospice care. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1218-1225, 2020.

HOSPICE VISIT INTENSITY BY PHYSICIANS AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS ON THE GENERAL INPATIENT LEVEL OF CARE

The Medicare Hospice Benefit’s General Inpatient (GIP) level of care provides short-term services for pain and symptom management in an inpatient facility that cannot be managed in the patient’s home. Relatively little is known about how beneficiaries utilize services during GIP care. Among a cohort of Medicare hospice beneficiaries utilizing GIP during Federal Fiscal Year 2014 (FY2014), we used 100% Medicare hospice and Part B claims to identify physician and nurse practitioner services concurrent with GIP dates. We estimated logistic regression models to determine the likelihood a beneficiary never receives physician or nurse practitioner services. We found that among the 1.5 million GIP days serviced in FY2014, more than half (52.4%) lacked any recorded physician or nurse practitioner services. Absence rates for these services were particularly high among hospice GIP days provided in inpatient facilities (69.1% missing services), long-term care hospitals (84.3% missing services), and skilled nursing facilities (85.3% missing services). Moreover, one in five hospice episodes having at least three sequential GIP days lacked any physician or nurse practitioner services. Relative to hospice inpatient units, rates of absence were higher among episodes beginning in long-term care hospitals [59.3% long-term care hospital vs. 11.5% hospice inpatient units; AOR 9.65 95% CI 7.47-12.46] and skilled nursing facilities [51.3% skilled nursing facility vs. 11.5% hospice inpatient units; AOR 5.98, 95% CI 5.63-6.36]. More in depth research and monitoring is needed to further understand dimensions of GIP care provision, to ensure that hospice beneficiaries are receiving adequate services regardless of their inpatient setting.

LATINO HOSPICE PATIENTS’ INVOLVEMENT IN CARE DECISIONS AND PLANNING: FACTORS THAT SHAPE PARTICIPATION PREFERENCES

Patient participation in care decisions is a primary tenet of patient-centered care and has been emphasized in policies and programs shaping clinical practice. Patient self-determination and involvement is associated with improved outcomes, including patient satisfaction and compliance. However, studies exploring Latino patients’ care involvement preferences find a cultural preference for limited autonomy and shared or family-based decision-making. This study describes terminally-ill older Latinos and their proxies’ preferences regarding involvement in decision-making and care planning following a referral to hospice care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 hospice-enrolled Latinos 65 or older, or their proxies. The sample is predominantly female (54% of all patients; 80% of proxies) and Mexican (77%). The average age of all patients was 82 years, and of proxies 54. Patients interviewed had an average of 7 years of education and proxies an average of 11 years. Patients were receiving care in a variety of settings, including inpatient hospice units, nursing homes, and community. Interviews were transcribed verbatim in the original language and coded thematically using an inductive approach. A second coder was used to code a Spanish and an English transcript (15% of the data), and a high level of interrater reliability was obtained (k = 0.85). Findings elucidate the paths through which culture, religion, and trust in provider shape preferences for limited autonomy and planning, confirming previous findings. However, this was not replaced by a preference for family-based decision-making. Findings highlight the importance of Latinos having access to culturally-competent primary care providers and fostering lasting relationships.

End-of-Life Dreams and Visions and Posttraumatic Growth: A Comparison Study.

Background: End-of-life dreams and visions (ELDVs) can provide both meaning and comfort to individuals nearing death. While research has examined the prevalence and content of ELDVs, little is known on how dreaming at end of life may affect psychological processes. Objective: This study aimed to explore differences in posttraumatic growth (PTG) between hospice patients who experience ELDVs and hospice patients who do not experience this phenomenon. Design: This is a multimethod cross-sectional comparison study. Settings/Subjects: 70 hospice patients (35 with ELDV experiences and 35 without ELDV experiences) were recruited after being admitted to a hospice inpatient unit. Measurements: PTG was assessed using a modified version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Demographic information, ELDV occurrence, and a brief description of ELDVs were also collected. Results: Significant differences emerged between groups in terms of personal strength (p = 0.012), spiritual change (p = 0.002), and overall PTG (p = 0.019). Patients with ELDV experiences had higher scores on all subscales as well as overall PTG compared to nondreaming patients. Conclusions: Dreams and visions at the end of life affect PTG of dying individuals in hospice care. Further research should be conducted between groups to examine the effects ELDVs may have on other psychological processes.

What influences patients’ decisions regarding palliative care in advance care planning discussions? Perspectives from a qualitative study conducted with advanced cancer patients, families and healthcare professionals

Background: The concept of advance care planning is largely derived from Western countries. However, the decision-making process and drivers for choosing palliative care in non-Western cultures have received little attention. Aim: To explore the decision-making processes and drivers of receiving palliative care in advance care planning discussions from perspectives of advanced cancer patients, families and healthcare professionals in northern Taiwan. Method: Semi-structured qualitative interviews with advanced cancer patients, their families and healthcare professionals independently from inpatient oncology and hospice units. Thematic analysis with analytical rigour enhanced by dual coding and exploration of divergent views. Results: Forty-five participants were interviewed (n = 15 from each group). Three main decision-making trajectories were identified: (1) ‘choose palliative care’ was associated with patients’ desire to reduce physical suffering from treatments, avoid being a burden to families and society, reduce futile treatments and donate organs to help others; (2) ‘decline palliative care’ was associated with patients weighing up perceived benefits to others as more important than benefits for themselves; and (3) ‘no opportunity to choose palliative care’ was associated with lack of opportunities to discuss potential benefits of palliative care, lack of staff skill in end-of-life communication, and cultural factors, notably filial piety. Conclusion: Choice for palliative care among advanced cancer patients in Taiwan is influenced by three decision-making trajectories. Opinions from families are highly influential, and patients often lack information on palliative care options. Strategies to facilitate decision-making require staff confidence in end-of-life discussions, working with the patients and their family while respecting the influence of filial piety.

Establishing key criteria to define and compare models of specialist palliative care: A mixed-methods study using qualitative interviews and Delphi survey

Background: Specialist palliative care services have various configurations of staff, processes and interventions, which determine how care is delivered. Currently, there is no consistent way to define and distinguish these different models of care. Aim: To identify the core components that characterise and differentiate existing models of specialist palliative care in the United Kingdom. Design: Mixed-methods study: (1) semi-structured interviews to identify criteria, (2) two-round Delphi study to rank/refine criteria, and (3) structured interviews to test/refine criteria. Setting/participants: Specialist palliative care stakeholders from hospice inpatient, hospital advisory, and community settings. Results: (1) Semi-structured interviews with 14 clinical leads, from eight UK organisations (five hospice inpatient units, two hospital advisory teams, five community teams), provided 34 preliminary criteria. (2) Delphi study: Round 1 (54 participants): thirty-four criteria presented, seven removed and seven added. Round 2 (30 participants): these 34 criteria were ranked with the 15 highest ranked criteria, including setting, type of care, size of service, diagnoses, disciplines, mode of care, types of interventions, ‘out-of-hours’ components (referrals, times, disciplines, mode of care, type of care), external education, use of measures, bereavement follow-up and complex grief provision. (3) Structured interviews with 21 UK service leads (six hospice inpatients, four hospital advisory and nine community teams) refined the criteria from (1) and (2), and provided four further contextual criteria (team purpose, funding, self-referral acceptance and discharge). Conclusion: In this innovative study, we derive 20 criteria to characterise and differentiate models of specialist palliative care – a major paradigm shift to enable accurate reporting and comparison in practice and research.

The meaning of dignity when the patients' bodies are falling apart.

BackgroundPeople with advanced cancer disease experience great bodily changes due to disease or treatment. They tend to feel ashamed when their bodies are subjected to such changes and they feel their dignity is threatened.AimTo explore the patients' experiences of the bodily changes in relation to dignity.DesignThe study has a hermeneutic qualitative design.MethodIndividual in‐depth interviews and participant observations were conducted with 13 patients with advanced cancer disease at a hospice inpatient unit in Norway. Gadamer's ontological hermeneutics inspired the interpretation.Results and conclusionThe patients' unpredictable, sick bodies forced the patients, or gave them the opportunity, to relate to their bodies in an honest way. The patients, living in interaction between suffering and health, strove to find dignity. The patients had a will to live and they experienced a love in their unruly bodies that both helped alleviate their suffering and give them an experience of enhanced dignity. It is important that nurses have insight into the consequences of bodily changes for the patients' experiences of dignity in health and suffering to provide good, dignified care.

Does Quality of End-of-Life Care Differ by Urban-Rural Location? A Comparison of Processes and Family Evaluations of Care in the VA.

Several studies have identified differences in end-of-life (EOL) care between urban and rural areas, yet little is known about potential differences in care processes or family evaluations of care. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between rurality of residence and quality of EOL care within the Veterans Affairs health care system. This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of 126,475 veterans who died from October 2009 through September 2016 in inpatient settings across 151 facilities. Using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression, we compared quality of EOL care between urban and rural veterans using family evaluations of care and 4 quality of care indicators for receipt of (1) palliative care consult, (2) a chaplain visit, (3) death in an inpatient hospice unit, and (4) bereavement support. Veterans from rural areas had lower odds of dying in an inpatient hospice unit compared to veterans from urban areas, before and after adjustment (large rural OR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.70-0.77; P < .001, small rural OR 0.81, 95% CI: 0.77-0.86; P < .001, isolated rural OR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81-0.93; P < .001). Differences in comparisons of other quality of care indicators were small and of mixed significance. No significant differences were found in family ratings of care in fully adjusted models. Receipt of some EOL quality indicators differed with urban-rural residence for some comparisons. However, family ratings of care did not. Our findings call for further investigation into unmeasured individual characteristics and facility processes related to rurality.