The American journal of hospice & palliative care
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Sep 2019
Case ReportsAdvanced Heart Failure Treatment Modalities and Hospice Care: The Need for High Level Care Coordination.
Advanced heart failure therapies such as ventricular assist devices and home inotrope use are becoming more common. Technology advances as well as increased indications for use of such therapies is leading to a higher percentage of patients with end-stage heart failure receiving these therapies at end of life. ⋯ Our case outlines the importance of acute care, palliative care, and hospice services being coordinated prior to and during acute-care services to provide goal-concordant and expeditious care. With advancing medical therapies for heart disease, increased coordination and collaboration of services are needed, particularly between hospice and acute-care services.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Sep 2019
Assessing Relationships Between Muslim Physicians' Religiosity and End-of-Life Health-Care Attitudes and Treatment Recommendations: An Exploratory National Survey.
Research demonstrates that the attitudes of religious physicians toward end-of-life care treatment can differ substantially from their nonreligious colleagues. While there are various religious perspectives regarding treatment near the end of life, the attitudes of Muslim physicians in this area are largely unknown. ⋯ Religiosity appears to impact Muslim physician attitudes toward various aspects of end-of-life health-care decision-making. Greater research is needed to evaluate how this relationship manifests itself in patient care conversations and shared clinical decision-making in the hospital.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Sep 2019
Dealing With Death Taboo: Discussion of Do-Not-Resuscitate Directives With Chinese Patients With Noncancer Life-Limiting Illnesses.
Noncancer patients with life-limiting diseases often receive more intensive level of care in their final days of life, with more cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed and less do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders in place. Nevertheless, death is still often a taboo across Chinese culture, and ethnic disparities could negatively affect DNR directives completion rates. ⋯ Health-care workers should be sensitive toward the cultural influence during advance care planning. Role of family for ethnic Chinese remains crucial and professionals should respect this family oriented decision-making.