On 2014 Aug 27, Ryan Radecki commented:

Post-publication commentary:

"Failing Our Profession Through Futile Care"

It is not always feasible to serve all masters in medicine. From a resource utilization standpoint, unfortunately, one missed opportunity is with regard to how we approach futile care. We have all experienced the care of a patient who, regardless of testing and therapy, has zero chance of meaningful recovery. To terminate care for these patients sometimes requires difficult conversations, and can snowball out of control with adverse legal and public relations consequences.

But, as this report from UCLA and RAND details, our failures to properly address futile care and end-of-life issues result in direct downstream harms to other patients....

http://www.emlitofnote.com/2014/08/failing-our-profession-through-futile.html

On 2014 Aug 27, Ryan Radecki commented:

Post-publication commentary:

"Failing Our Profession Through Futile Care"

It is not always feasible to serve all masters in medicine. From a resource utilization standpoint, unfortunately, one missed opportunity is with regard to how we approach futile care. We have all experienced the care of a patient who, regardless of testing and therapy, has zero chance of meaningful recovery. To terminate care for these patients sometimes requires difficult conversations, and can snowball out of control with adverse legal and public relations consequences.

But, as this report from UCLA and RAND details, our failures to properly address futile care and end-of-life issues result in direct downstream harms to other patients....

http://www.emlitofnote.com/2014/08/failing-our-profession-through-futile.html