Helping patients keep their dignity in their final moments

Helping patients keep their dignity in their final moments 
Physician's Weekly; by Linda Girgis, MD, FAAFP; 9/11/24 
In the US, approximately $365 billion is spent annually on end-of-life care, or ten percent of total healthcare expenditures. While some of this is essential, such as hospice care, much is spent on futile care. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines futile as “serving no useful purpose, completely ineffective.” While we may be able to keep patients alive longer, such as using ventilators, it should be evaluated as to the endpoint. It is futile if the patient has no hope of recovery. ... How can we help our patients die with dignity?

• Be proactive ...
• Listen to our patients ...
• Alleviate symptoms ...
• Acknowledge the caretakers ...
• Address spiritual concerns ...
• Be empathetic ...
• Get help ...

As doctors, we are key players in helping ease our patients’ suffering, especially during their death. Yet, many of us don’t do a great job during this critical point in a patient’s life. The most important thing is knowing what our patients want and listening to their needs. We may disagree with their decisions, which is OK if we honor their wishes. Suffering often proceeds to death, and we should use all our resources to ease that burden.