What defines the transition to end of life?
2. What outcome variables are important indicators of the quality of the end-of-life experience for the dying person and for the surviving loved ones? 3. What patient, family, and health care system factors are associated with improved or worsened outcomes? 4. What processes and interventions are associated with improved or worsened outcomes? 5. What are the future research directions for improving end-of-life care? On the final day of the conference, the panel chairperson read the draft statement to the conference audience and invited comments and questions. A press conference followed to allow the panel to respond to questions from the media. 1. What defines the transition to end of life? The evidence does not support a precise definition of the interval referred to as end of life or its transitions. End of life is usually defined and limited by the regulatory environment rather than by the scientific data. A regulatory definition is a barrier to improving care and research relating
