Blog 10 Health and disease The Dilemma Over Care For the Dying

Loryn Green

November 1, 2012
Blog 10

The Dilemma over care for the dying.

1 November 2012 Last updated at 13:14 ET

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20167476

      This pathways system gives doctors the right to hold off on treatment or test that have been proven to cause unnecessary strain or stress to someone who is at the end of their life.  This general definition is referring to any and everything from CPR to blood work to lab test.  If anything is deemed to stressful to someone at the end of their lives the doctors have the right to refuse them treatment.  The whole idea behind this concept is, that since the patients are beyond being able to help, they want them to die off with as much dignity as possible.  Medicine is not considered proper in science.  People can be placed on the pathway and then removed, all based on the status of their condition, and how severe it is.  This has been in effect since the 1990’s but just recently, families have come forward stating that their family members have been placed on this pathway without being notified.  Some have even stated that their family members were not at all dying.  There are about 500,000 deaths a year and more then half of them happen in hospitals.  They wonder just how many of those deaths that occurred have been from people who were not happy with the kind of care their loved one was receiving.  Although their was a study done and about 94% of the people said that they were explained to very well what exactly pathways was and they made the decision to put their loved one on it.  Many institutions offer some sort of monetary reimbursement for trying new things out.  In other words, Money is given to various hospitals for trying new techniques out.  There are tons of organizations that are completely backing up pathways. But then on the other side, there is a great amount of people who were or are very up happy about the way In which their loved one was cared for. 

            This story really touched me.  I have been working around the elderly population for the majority of my life now.  I have met and been in very close contact with many people on their last leg.  They are being provided with hospice services, as well as some pain medicine, or oxygen.  I know 70/80 year olds that have had hip surgery recently.  Now according to this pathways rule is someone who is around the age of 80 who requires hip surgery would they be eligible to receive it?  I understand the thought process behind wanting someone to leave on a good note and with some dignity, but I don’t believe that they doctors are the ones that should be making that final decision.  The families of these people know them and their values way better than some doctor.