Examine postdischarge mortality, quality of life, and charges for care for short-term (>24 and 96 hrs) ventilator patients. ⋯ There were no significant demographic or clinical differences between short-term and long-term ventilator patients. Our results suggest that the likelihood of need for continued care in an extended-care facility for months and the risk of death during the first year postdischarge are sufficiently common features of this population and need to be included in discussions of treatment options with patients and their families.
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