End-of-Life Care: Patient’s Right and Physician’s Role

End-of-Life Care: Patient’s Right and Physician’s Role is organized by Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS).

Original Release Date: March 29 2021
Termination Date: March 29, 2024

Intended Audience:
health care leaders, physicians, residents, other health care professionals and students in all health care professions.

Course Overview
With advances in modern medicine many lives have been lengthened (and deaths have therefore been postponed) for people with medical conditions that severely diminish their quality of life. Some patients desire to not receive treatment and ask that they be allowed to die without medical intervention.  While patients do have the legal right to refuse medical treatment, physician-assisted suicide is forbidden in most states, including Massachusetts.  As such, physicians must navigate through difficult decisions with their patients in terms of the choice of treatment.  This course will help guide you through the laws related to the right to refuse treatment, ethical considerations, and the historical progress of end of life care. 

Course Objectives:
• Assess why the right to refuse treatment in an end of life care situation is protected by law.
• Discuss the ethical considerations of allowing physicians to withdraw or withhold treatment. 
• Compare the process for refusing treatment of competent patients with the process of refusing treatment of incompetent patients.
• Explain the historical progress of end of life care and how modern medicine has worked to create better systems.