Integration of palliative care to the emergency department. Management algorithm approach

Abstract

Regarding medical emergencies, physicians exclusively deal with seriously ill patients suffering from advanced, progressive, and chronic diseases, where the diagnostic and therapeutic approach becomes simultaneous. Sometimes with a very wide range of possibilities that lead to a greater complexity when identifying if the patient is in the last phase of life. Thus, there is a risk of falling into therapeutic obstinacy or disinterest leaving aside the main objective of ensuring the comfort of these patients. In response to this need, our work team carried out an algorithm that aims to integrate palliative care to the emergency service, by identifying end-of-life patients, in addition to implementing management proposals for each stage thereof.