Table 3

Percentage of patients with different components of the KIS completed at death, and if so when discussed, according to illness trajectory

Cancer
n=212
Dementia/frailty
n=189
Organ failure
n=204
Total
N=605
KIS started before death, n (%)158 (74)125 (66)83 (41)366 (60)
 Weeks KIS started prior to death, median (IQR)14 (6–27)20 (8–34)22 (10–31)18 (7–31)
ACP started prior to death, n (%)154 (73)120 (63)76 (37)350 (58)
 Weeks ACP started prior to death, median (IQR)11 (5–24)18 (7–34)20 (5–30)15 (5–29)
PCS started, n (%)132 (62)66 (35)44 (22)242 (40)
 Weeks PCS started prior to death, median (IQR)9 (4–22)10 (2–20)16 (5–29)11 (4–24)
DNACPR form complete, n (%)113 (53)88 (47)51 (25)252 (42)
 Weeks DNACPR completed prior to death, median (IQR)5 (2–16)17 (5–35)12 (4–25)10 (3–24)
Preferred place care recorded, n (%)108 (51)79 (42)46 (23)233 (39)
Weeks preferred place of care complete prior to death, median (IQR)6 (2–15)18 (2–34)20 (7–30)9 (3–25)
Preferred place of final care recorded, n (%)88 (42)48 (25)37 (18)173 (29)
Weeks preferred place of final care completed prior to death, median (IQR)6 (2–17)18 (2–35)12 (2–27)9 (2–24)
Anticipatory medication started prior to death, n (%)82 (39)33 (17)24 (12)139 (23)
Weeks anticipatory medication started prior to death, median (IQR)3 (1–9)1 (1–2)3 (1–16)2 (1–6)
Place of death, n (%)*
 Hospital88 (42)80 (42)133 (66)301 (50)
 Home62 (29)24 (13)42 (21128 (21)
 Care home22 (10)83 (44)21 (10)126 (21)
 Hospice40 (19)2 (1)7 (3)49 (8)
  • *One patient with organ failure died abroad.

  • DNACPR, Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; KIS, Key Information Summary; PCS, Palliative Care Summary.