Is the patient competent or incompetent? Does the patient have the ability to understand his illness/condition and to discuss treatment options?
If the patient is competent, he should be making his own treatment decisions with the input of his family. Family members should be alert to feelings of depression or hopelessness on the part of the patient, and encourage decisions to employ treatment and care. Any competent patient can also refuse treatment against the wishes of his family.
Related Questions
- Is the patient competent or incompetent? Does the patient have the ability to understand his illness/condition and to discuss treatment options?
- What reporting options are available if the patient does not receive the treatment specified in the Quality Measure?
- Besides CABG, what other treatment options are available to a patient with narrowed or blocked arteries?
