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Updated: Aug 4, 2026
06:52
Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
Healthcare resource consumption in terminal care
1Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA.
Pharmacoeconomics
|December 8, 1996
Summary
Patient autonomy in healthcare is increasing, leading to complex ethical challenges regarding end-of-life care decisions and costs. Futile treatments should be avoided, and advance directives encouraged, though their cost-saving impact remains unclear.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Medical Law
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Growing emphasis on patient autonomy in medical decision-making.
- Increasing costs associated with end-of-life medical care.
- Potential financial incentives for providers to limit aggressive treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review ethical challenges in modern healthcare.
- To examine patient autonomy, medical futility, advance directives, and euthanasia.
- To discuss the impact of healthcare trends on end-of-life care.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of ethical issues in healthcare.
- Analysis of patient autonomy and end-of-life care trends.
- Discussion of medical futility, advance directives, and euthanasia.
Main Results:
- Patients are asserting greater control over treatment refusal and end-of-life choices.
- Medical futility should be avoided; advance directives are recommended.
- Advance directives may not reduce overall medical costs.
Conclusions:
- Ethical considerations surrounding patient autonomy and end-of-life care are paramount.
- The role and impact of advance directives require further investigation.
- The influence of managed care on end-of-life decisions and euthanasia is currently unknown.
Keywords:
Death and Euthanasia
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