Physicians' perspective on potentially non-beneficial treatment when assessing patients with advanced disease for ICU admission: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The use of intensive care at the end of life can be high, leading to inappropriate healthcare utilisation, and prolonged suffering for patients and families. The objective of the study was to determine which factors influence physicians' admission decisions in situations of potentially non-beneficial intensive care.

Design

This is a secondary analysis of a qualitative study exploring the triage process. In-depth interviews were analysed using an inductive approach to thematic content analysis.

Setting

Data were collected in a Swiss tertiary care centre between March and June 2013.

Participants

12 intensive care unit (ICU) physicians and 12 internists routinely involved in ICU admission decisions.

Results

Physicians struggled to understand the r

SUBMITTER: Escher M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8144032 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature