Medical Staff House Staff Orientation Manual - Montefiore Medical ...

Bioethics (Moses) 718- 920-6226
(Weiler) 718- 904-2299
END-OF-LIFE CARE
Summary - Administrative Policy and Procedure # JD04.1
Note: This summary contains the key points of this policy. For a complete understanding of
all the relevant provisions, it is necessary to thoroughly read the full policy.
WHAT:
End-of-life care includes therapeutic interventions that meet the medical, spiritual, socio-cultural
and emotional needs of patients with active, progressive far-advanced disease whose disease is
not responsive to curative treatment. These measures have as their goal maximizing comfort and
function, enhancing the quality of remaining life, and supporting the patient’s family.
WHO:
All members of the health care team are responsible for providing compassionate, skillful and
responsive end-of-life care. In addition, palliative care specialists should be consulted about the
management of pain and other symptoms.
WHEN:
End-of-life care is appropriate whenever cure is no longer the primary goal, and the patient is in
the late stages of incurable illness.
WHERE
End-of-life care is appropriate in any clinical or community setting.
HOW:
Every effort should be made to identify as early as possible those patients who would benefit
from aggressive attention to end-of-life needs. These include but are not limited to:
• facilitating advance care planning
• controlling pain and other symptoms;
• meeting spiritual needs
• providing emotional support to patients and family in coping with progressive illness,
loss of function and the attendant anxiety and stress;
• resolving ethical concerns
• clarifying the goals of care, including all available supportive and comfort care options
• enhancing the quality of the patient’s remaining life and the dying process;
• addressing cultural, spiritual and emotional concerns and decisions related to end-of-life,
including foregoing treatment and organ donation; and
• supporting patients, families and care providers as they face loss and bereavement.
CONTACT:
Palliative Care 718-920-6378
99