House calls for Canadians nearing the end of life: Factors influencing primary care providers’ involvement in palliative care

Across Canada and internationally, there is increasing attention on the value of palliative and end-of-life care provided in the home and community settings. Patients who receive in-home palliative and end-of-life care experience better outcomes, such as fewer hospital visits in the last two weeks of life, a greater likelihood of dying in home-like environments, improved patient satisfaction, and more goal-concordant care. However, many Canadians do not receive adequate palliative and end-of-life supports in their homes and communities. In this project, we will use healthcare administration data in Ontario and Alberta to examine who is currently providing home visits to patients nearing the end of life, the characteristics of patients receiving such services, and the impact of home visits on their dying experience.