You Don't Need a Judge to Terminate Treatment

Abstract

Professional autonomy implies professional responsibil ity. Health care professionals who harbor unfounded fears of liability for complying with patient decisions to terminate treatment create unwarranted obstacles to fulfilling their responsibility to know and respect their patients' rights. Keeping patient requests to terminate treatment inside the hospital and out of the courts pro motes informed and shared decision-making by patient and physician, and reduces the genuine risk of legal liability.