PHILADELPHIA: Nearly half of hospitals are putting dying patients at risk of harm or unnecessary suffering, the care watchdog has warned as it said those with conditions like dementia and heart disease are receiving a poorer standard of treatment.
The criticisms include where dying patients were referred to by their bed numbers instead of their names and doctors issued “do not resuscitate” orders without informing those being treated.
In other instances patients were left for hours without painkillers or faced huge delays in accessing transport to take them home to die. By contrast almost nine in 10 hospices were found to be providing good or outstanding levels of care…