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09:19
Community-based Adapted Tango Dancing for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease and Older Adults
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The Hastings Center Report
|April 25, 2009
Summary
The standard end-of-life decision model, where physicians present options and patients choose, may harm individuals and the state. This highlights potential issues with patient autonomy and resource allocation in healthcare.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Health Policy
- Bioethics
Background:
- The conventional framework for end-of-life (EOL) decisions involves physicians presenting medical choices and patients selecting them.
- This established model may have detrimental consequences for both individuals and the broader societal context.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically examine the standard model of end-of-life decision-making.
- To analyze the potential harms associated with this model, particularly concerning patient autonomy and resource implications.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of the physician-patient roles in EOL decision-making.
- Ethical evaluation of patient autonomy as a positive right.
Main Results:
- The standard model assigns distinct roles: physician as explainer, patient as selector.
- Viewing patient choice as a positive right to access all available options can be problematic.
Conclusions:
- The current end-of-life decision-making paradigm requires re-evaluation.
- Potential negative impacts on individuals and the state necessitate a nuanced understanding of patient rights and resource availability.
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