Clinical Scorecard: End-of-Life Person-Centered Care: Addressing Ableism in Discussions About Essential Values

At a Glance

Key Highlights

• Person-centered care requires asking patients about their values regarding longevity and quality of life.
• Framing discussions around 'states worse than death' can reinforce ableist assumptions.
• Understanding patients' unacceptable outcomes is crucial for aligning care with their values.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

• Engage patients in discussions about their values and preferences regarding treatment options.

Management

• Facilitate goals-of-care discussions that respect patient autonomy and individual definitions of quality of life.

Monitoring & Follow-up

• Regularly assess patients' understanding and feelings about their treatment options and outcomes.

Risks

• Be aware of the potential for ableism in discussions about disability and treatment outcomes.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Patients with serious illnesses who are capable of making their own healthcare decisions.

Patients often view profound decline as worse than death, highlighting the need for personalized discussions.

Clinical Best Practices

• Ask patients directly about their values and what outcomes they wish to avoid.
• Frame treatment options as ethically legitimate and worthy of consideration.

Related Resources & Content

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