Three Patients International Perspective on Intensive Care at the End of Life

This volume explores how the scarce resources of intensive care units should be distributed. Three hypothetical patients, each with a different chance of survival, desire intensive care. A multinational panel of experienced critical care physicians offers assessments of the patients' conditions and outlines approaches to treatment. These approaches are then examined by academic medical experts and a medical ethicist, as well as from a legal perspective. The result is a well-rounded and introspective look at care for critically ill patients at or near the end of life.

Overview.- Medical Futility in American Health Care.- Multinational Perspective on Treatment of the Three Patients.- Description of the Cases.- South Africa.- Australia.- United Kingdom.- India.- New Zealand.- The Netherlands.- Russia.- Hong Kong.- Israel.- Canada.- Urban United States.- Summaries of Medical Comments.- Patient A.- Is Treatment Worthwhile?.- Globalization of Critical Care.- A Multilevel Examination of a Critically I11 Patient.- Patient B.- The Decision-Making Process.- Should Patient B Receive Critical Care?.- The Yin and Yang of Critical Care: Utilitarianism Meets the Law of Supply and Demand.- Patient C.- Treatment of a “Classic” Intensive Care Unit Patient.- Should This Patient Be Admitted to a Critical Care Unit?.- Multiple Organ Failure and Intensive Care.- General Multidisciplinary Survey.- Discussion of the Medical Aspects of Futility.- Discussion of the Ethical Aspects of Futility.- Waiting for the Cavalry: The Role of the Courts in Recognizing Medical Futility.- Comments From Paramedical Providers.- End-of-Life Care in the Intensive Care Unit.- Advanced Medical Technology and End of Life: A Respiratory Care Practitioner’s Perspective.- Medical Futility.- Afterword.