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Medical futility: a paradigm as old as Hippocrates
Mary Whitmer1, Susan Hurst, Marilynn Prins
1Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA.
Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing : DCCN
|February 20, 2009
Summary
Medical futility describes treatments offering no patient benefit, a concept since Hippocrates. It
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Clinical Practice
Background:
- Medical futility is a long-standing concept, dating back to Hippocrates.
- It frequently arises in end-of-life care discussions.
- Clinicians encounter ethical dilemmas involving futility regularly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of medical futility.
- To clarify the concept for healthcare providers, patients, and families.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on medical futility.
- Analysis of ethical considerations in clinical practice.
Main Results:
- Medical futility involves therapies with no anticipated benefit.
- It presents a significant ethical challenge in patient care.
- Understanding futility aids communication in critical care situations.
Conclusions:
- Medical futility is a crucial concept in modern medicine.
- It impacts end-of-life decision-making.
- Further exploration is needed to navigate these complex ethical issues.
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