title: Medical futility: a paradigm as old as Hippocrates.
abstract: Medical futility is a concept commonly used to describe medical therapy that has no known or anticipated immediate or long-term benefit for a patient. The concept of futility has existed since the time of Hippocrates and has become the predominant dilemma for many end-of-life situations. Today, clinicians grapple with ethical conflicts and concepts in their daily practice. Many healthcare providers use the concept of medical futility when they are talking with patients and families who are in a quandary about their loved one's care. This article provides an overview of medical futility.
authors.affiliation: Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Whitmer
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.forename: Marilynn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: Kelli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shepard
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McVey
mesh_terms: D001130:Arizona; D001293:Attitude to Death / Q000208:ethnology; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D034462:Dissent and Disputes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D018447:Medical Futility / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D028662:Principle-Based Ethics; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D019727:Proxy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D016414:Resuscitation Orders / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D012308:Risk Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D029181:Spirituality; D028761:Withholding Treatment / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence