PATIENT AND PHYSICIAN ROLES IN END-OF-LIFE DECISION-MAKING

This study is a cross-sectional descriptive survey of randomly selecte d primary care patients and physicians regarding patient, physician, a nd family roles in end-of-life decision making, The subjects included 329 adult outpatients and 272 practicing physicians, Physicians were m ore likely than patients to believe the patient alone was responsible for making end-of-life decisions, Patients were more likely than physi cians to believe the physician should provide a recommendation in addi tion to facts to help the patient make end-of-life decisions, We concl ude that patients prefer a more active role for physicians in both dec ision making and discussion of end-of-life care than do physicians the mselves.