TY - JOUR
T1 - Practical issues in physician-assisted suicide
AU - Drickamer, Margaret A.
AU - Lee, Melinda A.
AU - Ganzini, Linda
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Support for the participation of physicians in the suicides of terminally ill patients is increasing, and the concrete effects on physician practice of a policy change with regard to physician-assisted suicide must be carefully considered. If physician-assisted suicide is legalized, physicians will need to gain expertise in understanding patients' motivations for requesting physician-assisted suicide, assessing mental status, diagnosing and treating depression, maximizing palliative interventions, and evaluating the external pressures on the patient. They will be asked to prognosticate not only about life expectancy but also about the onset of functional and cognitive decline. They will need access to reliable information about effective medications and dosages. The physician's position on physician- assisted suicide must be open to discussion between practitioner and patient. Protection of the patient's right to confidentiality must be balanced against the need of health care professionals and institutions to know about the patient's choice. Insurance coverage and managed care options may be affected. All of these issues need to be further explored through research, education, decision making by individual practitioners, and ongoing societal debate.
AB - Support for the participation of physicians in the suicides of terminally ill patients is increasing, and the concrete effects on physician practice of a policy change with regard to physician-assisted suicide must be carefully considered. If physician-assisted suicide is legalized, physicians will need to gain expertise in understanding patients' motivations for requesting physician-assisted suicide, assessing mental status, diagnosing and treating depression, maximizing palliative interventions, and evaluating the external pressures on the patient. They will be asked to prognosticate not only about life expectancy but also about the onset of functional and cognitive decline. They will need access to reliable information about effective medications and dosages. The physician's position on physician- assisted suicide must be open to discussion between practitioner and patient. Protection of the patient's right to confidentiality must be balanced against the need of health care professionals and institutions to know about the patient's choice. Insurance coverage and managed care options may be affected. All of these issues need to be further explored through research, education, decision making by individual practitioners, and ongoing societal debate.
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U2 - 10.7326/0003-4819-126-2-199701150-00009
DO - 10.7326/0003-4819-126-2-199701150-00009
M3 - Review article
C2 - 9005749
AN - SCOPUS:0031027592
SN - 0003-4819
VL - 126
SP - 146
EP - 151
JO - Annals of internal medicine
JF - Annals of internal medicine
IS - 2
ER -