Supply of hospice services strongly associated with local area's median household income

Local availability is an important predictor of use of hospice programs, which are end-of-life services that have been shown to improve pain control, maintain patients’ independence and even extend life, says lead author Maria Silveira, M.D., M.P.H., of the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System and assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan.  Additional U-M authors include Susan Goold, M.D., M.P.H., M.A. VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and professor in the U-M departments of Internal Medicine and Health Management and Policy and Lawrence F. McMahon, M.D., M.P.H., chief of the U-M Division of General Medicine and professor in the departments of Internal Medicine and Health Management and Policy.