End-of-life care: challenges and obligations in setting limits to life-sustaining therapy.
It is now generally accepted that the withholding or withdrawal of interventions that serve only to prolong the dying process is appropriate. Setting limits to life-sustaining therapy are now common practice. However, making such decisions can be challenging. They are also not uncommonly a source of disagreement between the physician and the patient or surrogate. The potential for strained patient-physician relationship can be mitigated by patient-centred, goal-specific care with its emphasis on effective communication, a sense of timing and attention to the various dimensions of the illness experience.
Lee
A O
AO
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433.
D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D018447:Medical Futility; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011379:Prognosis; D013727:Terminal Care; D035502:Trust; D028761:Withholding Treatment