Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1999 Oct;1(5):146-153.
doi: 10.4088/pcc.v01n0503.

When All Else Is Done: The Challenge of Improving Antemortem Care

W Clay Jackson  1
Affiliations

When All Else Is Done: The Challenge of Improving Antemortem Care

W Clay Jackson. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 1999 Oct.

Abstract

Recent findings from the Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatments (SUPPORT) reveal that Americans are receiving antemortem care that is highly technical and interventional, but poorly consistent with patients' wishes. A growing body of research in palliative medicine describes a manner of care that restores the possibility of a "good death" to the vast majority of patients. By familiarizing themselves with the medical, psychological, legal, and existential aspects of antemortem care, primary care physicians can offer excellent palliative care, changing the landscape of postmodern medicine for the benefit of all patients-including ourselves.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Callahan's Model of Antemortem Carea
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
The Spectrum of Antemortem Care
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Humphrey D. Final Exit. Eugene, Ore: Hemlock Society. 1991
    1. Death by Doctor [transcript]. “60 Minutes.” CBS television. 22November1998
    1. Osler W. Science and Immortality. New York, NY: Riverside. 1908
    1. Kouwenhoven WB, Jude JR, Knickerbocker GG. Closed-chest cardiac massage. JAMA. 1960;173:1064–1067. - PubMed
    1. Deciding to Forego Life-Sustaining Treatment. Washington, DC: President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research. 1983 240–241.