Strang P, Fürst P, Hedman C, et al. - Researchers evaluated the access to specialized palliative care (SPC) that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer (LC) patients receive and the impact of that access on the requirement for acute hospital care. They performed a descriptive regional registry data study using VAL, the Stockholm Region's central data warehouse. They analyzed 6,479 patients, (2,917 with COPD and 3,562 with LC). They found LC patients, vs dying COPD patients, had more access to SPC. Access to SPC resulted in decrease in the requirement for emergency room visits as well as admissions to acute hospitals.