Author Description

Patients want better end-of-life care, and physicians want to provide it. But in a society where high-tech interventions are often emphasized, moving from curative treatment to comfort care is sometimes difficult. Often, patients in the last phase of life want both continued aggressive treatments and the benefits of palliative measures. Many physicians have never been trained in palliative measures and end-of-life care. It is a challenging area but one in which clinicians can enhance the quality of life for seriously ill patients. Developed by members of the ACP End-of-Life Care Consensus Panel, Physician's Guide to End-of-Life Care is divided into three sections containing clearly focused, practical information with illustrative cases. Topics include communications, relationship building, the goals of palliative care; evidence-based approaches to pain, depression, and delirium; intractable suffering; and legal, financial, and quality issues.