Hospital guidelines for deciding about life-sustaining treatment

Authors:
  • AMAlan Meisel
    Alan Meisel
  • AGAke Grenvik
    Ake Grenvik
  • RPRosa Lynn Pinkus
    Rosa Lynn Pinkus
  • JSJames V. Snyder
    James V. Snyder
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Abstract
The decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment from hopelessly ill patients is fraught with ethical dilemmas and legal uncertainties. Although there are extensive published commentaries on the subject and the law is gradually becoming clearer, care-givers often need concrete guidance when confronted with actual cases. Hospital ethics committees can assist care-givers, patients, and families in resolving these dilemmas, but the committees also need some specific guidance to be relatively consistent. Therefore, the Ethics and Human Rights Committee of Presbyterian-University Hospital, one of the University Health Center Hospitals in Pittsburgh, has developed guidelines for deciding about life-sustaining treatment.