End-of-life care conversations are a challenge for physicians, poll finds

A recent national poll of more than 730 physicians found that nearly one-half are unsure what they should say to patients about end-of-life care. However, more than three-quarters believe it’s their responsibility to initiate such conversations.

While physicians can now receive Medicare reimbursements for discussing advanced care planning with their patients, only approximately 14% of the doctors polled reported billing for it.

The survey points to a lack of formal training as one obstacle for not initiating these conversations with patients and their families. In fact, about one-third indicated receiving such training.

“Patients want their primary care doctors to have these conversations, and the poll shows that physicians recognize that it’s their responsibility,” Dr. Sandra Hernández, president and CEO of the California Health Care Foundation, one of the organizations that commissioned the survey, told Kaiser Health News. “It’s wonderful that Medicare is reimbursing for these discussions. Now, physicians need more skills and training.”

The DO recently spoke to three osteopathic physicians about how they initiate conversations about end-of-life care with patients. They suggested physicians broach the subject sensitively, ask patients about their goals, and consider psychological and spiritual suffering in addition to physical pain.