Do Patients Want their Families or their Doctors to Make Treatment Decisions in the Event of Incapacity, and Why?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Current practice relies on patient-designated and next-of-kin surrogates, in consultation with clinicians, to make treatment decisions for patients who lose the ability to make their own decisions. Yet, there is a paucity of data on whether this approach is consistent with patients' preferences regarding who they want to make treatment decisions for them in the event of decisional incapacity.

Methods

Self-administered survey of patients at a tertiary care center.

Results

Overall, 1169 respondents completed the survey (response rate=59.8%). Of the 229 respondents who had previously designated a surrogate, 78.2% wanted their surrogate to make treatment decisions in the event of decisional incapacity, whereas 21.8% wanted their doctors to make treatment decisi

SUBMITTER: Wendler D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5609846 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature