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. 2005 Jul-Aug;24(4):972-5.
doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.24.4.972.

The prognosis for changes in end-of-life care after the Schiavo case

Lindsay A Hampson  1 , Ezekiel J Emanuel
Affiliations

The prognosis for changes in end-of-life care after the Schiavo case

Lindsay A Hampson et al. Health Aff (Millwood). 2005 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Americans have reached consensus that (1) people have a right to refuse life-sustaining medical interventions, and (2) interventions that can be terminated include artificial nutrition and hydration. The one unresolved issue is how to decide for mentally incompetent patients. Only about 20 percent of Americans have completed living wills, and data show that family members are poor at predicting patients' wishes for life-sustaining care. But despite court cases and national consensus that these are private and not legislative matters, the Schiavo case is unlikely to change practices except to increase the number of Americans who complete living wills.

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Comment in

  • Ethics and futility.
    Schneiderman L, Gilmer T. Schneiderman L, et al. Health Aff (Millwood). 2005 Sep-Oct;24(5):1376-7. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.24.5.1376. Health Aff (Millwood). 2005. PMID: 16162586 No abstract available.
  • What about proxies?
    Chaudhari BP, Grodin MA. Chaudhari BP, et al. Health Aff (Millwood). 2005 Nov-Dec;24(6):1686-7; author reply 1687-8. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.24.6.1686-a. Health Aff (Millwood). 2005. PMID: 16284048 No abstract available.
  • Misconception about hospice.
    Portenoy R, Lupu D. Portenoy R, et al. Health Aff (Millwood). 2005 Nov-Dec;24(6):1686; author reply 1687-8. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.24.6.1686. Health Aff (Millwood). 2005. PMID: 16284049 No abstract available.

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