Talking to multi-morbid patients about critical illness: an evolving conversation

This article discusses the concept of response shift and the implication for trade-offs between number/length of invasi ve treatments and change in physical function or death. Conversations need to delineate how health outcomes (e.g. tracheostomy, muscle wasting, etc.) may affect individual outcomes most relevant to the patient and hence impact overall QoL.The research strategy taken to explore decision-making for cr itically ill patients might benefit from gathering qualitative data, as a complement to quantitative data. Patients, families and doctors are motivated by far wider considerations, and a consultation process should relate to more than the simple likelihood of mortality in a shared decision-making co ntext.
Source: Age and Ageing - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research