ContextA clear understanding of what patients, families, and health care practitioners view
as important at the end of life is integral to the success of improving care of dying patients. …

Despite a recent increase in the attention given to improving end-of-life care, our understanding
of what constitutes a good death is surprisingly lacking. The purpose of this study was to …

Effective communication skills enable physicians to improve patients' understanding of their
illnesses, improve patient adherence to treatment regimens, use time efficiently, avoid …

Background Few studies have assessed the efficacy of communication skills training for
postgraduate physician trainees at the level of behaviors. We designed a residential …

Background Palliative oxygen therapy is widely used for treatment of dyspnoea in individuals
with life-limiting illness who are ineligible for long-term oxygen therapy. We assessed the …

Background Responsible, shared decision making on the part of physicians and patients
about the potential use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) requires patients who are …

To examine patients', families', and health care providers' preferences regarding preparation
for the end of life, attributes of preparation were generated in qualitative focus group …

… Tulsky), Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; and the Departments of Medicine (Drs.
Sago, Abernethy, and Tulsky) and Pathology (Dr. Breen), Duke University, Durham, NC …

Spirituality is an important part of African‐American culture and is often cited as an explanation
for the more‐aggressive treatment preferences of some African Americans at the end of …

Background : Advanced heart failure (HF) is characterized by high morbidity and mortality.
Conventional therapy may not sufficiently reduce patient suffering and maximize quality of life. …