Hi Vidqun - I didn't do stats on Midazolam. But I do remember walking in on a meeting where the concept of a 'good death' was being spoken of. Thereafter, all leaflets of old people had to show them smiling. No room for pity. Just imagine all these happy old people as if going on holiday, not suffering chronic pain or loneliness.
I also remember being told years and years ago about 'pandemic flu' - nothing like it was showing in the stats but I was told, 'oh it will come one day.' I thought it was a weird thing to say. But hey, look what happened!
Once people pass a certain age they become about 3 times more expensive to the health services. In UK many health services are free. However if you make it more difficult to define what a health need is (for an elderly person), health needs can be defined as social needs. In this way it is easy to withdraw certain services from elderly ones which they might have expected to receive at one time. You withdraw enough of those services and delay the response time of others, the death rate goes up.
Also top tip - at the weekends when more junior than senior doctors work in the hospitals, the death rate goes up. Assuming the pattern is the same now, if you are going to need hospital care, try to make sure you visit Monday to Friday.