Cartwright Colleen M, Parker Malcolm H
Academic Unit, Geratric Medicine, Univeristy of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane.
Aust Fam Physician. 2004 Oct;33(10):815-9.
Aging populations with greater rates of cognitive decline demand increased attention to the issues of end of life decision making and advance care planning (ACP). Legislatures have passed statutes that recognise the necessity for both substitute decision making and the declaration in advance of wishes relating to health care.
This article discusses ACP and the role of the general practitioner.
Advance care planning provides patients, relatives and doctors with greater confidence about the future. There is good evidence that patients desire to discuss end of life care, and GPs are in a good position to engage their patients in considering the issues. They have a responsibility to confirm the decision making capacity of patients who write advance health directive documents, to inform and educate their patients about future health care, and to keep the ACP conversation going.
认知能力下降率较高的老龄化人口需要更多关注临终决策和预先护理计划（ACP）问题。立法机构已通过法规，承认替代决策以及预先声明医疗保健意愿的必要性。
本文讨论预先护理计划以及全科医生的作用。
预先护理计划为患者、亲属和医生提供了对未来更大的信心。有充分证据表明患者希望讨论临终护理，全科医生处于有利位置，能让患者参与考虑这些问题。他们有责任确认签署预先健康指示文件的患者的决策能力，就未来医疗保健向患者提供信息并进行教育，并持续进行预先护理计划的对话。
