title: [Borderline situations in general practice].
abstract: The end of life represents a borderline situation for all participants in a general practice setting. The patient finds himself trapped in the border zone of life and death and is faced with a multitude of existential and spiritual problems. The family doctor has to realize that the common decision-making pathways employed in everyday practice are hardly effective in palliative care. At this point it may be to the patient's benefit to decide against certain possible treatment options. Family and friends come into touch with the limits of their personal (com-) passion. Having to deal with feelings like powerlessness, helplessness and grief and being faced with one's own finiteness poses an enormous challenge.
authors.affiliation: Gemeinschaftspraxis am Sankt Gertrauden Krankenhaus, Berlin. achlou@aol.com
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rieger
mesh_terms: D001293:Attitude to Death; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000592:standards*