Kendzerska T, Nickerson JW, Hsu AT, et al. - Researchers used provincial linked health administrative data (Ontario, Canada) in this retrospective population-based study, to determine end-of-life health service utilization, expenses, and place of death among individuals with COPD and/or lung cancer. They also investigated factors predictive of home palliative care use and the benefits related to palliative care use. They found that the likelihood of receiving palliative care was much more in individuals with lung cancer vs those with COPD, both populations were underserviced. Irrespective of the diagnosis, attenuated mortality and fewer days in acute care, and less cost, were reported in relation to home palliative care use. In other words, in addition to reduced costs, improved dying experience of these populations may be achieved by greater involvement of palliative care.