Center for Ethics and Professionalism, American College of Physicians, 190 North Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106-1572, USA.
J Gen Intern Med. 2010 Mar;25(3):255-60. doi: 10.1007/s11606-009-1206-3.
Family caregivers play a major role in maximizing the health and quality of life of more than 30 million individuals with acute and chronic illness. Patients depend on family caregivers for assistance with daily activities, managing complex care, navigating the health care system, and communicating with health care professionals. Physical, emotional and financial stress may increase caregiver vulnerability to injury and illness. Geographically distant family caregivers and health professionals in the role of family caregivers may suffer additional burdens. Physician recognition of the value of the caregiver role may contribute to a positive caregiving experience and decrease rates of patient hospitalization and institutionalization. However, physicians may face ethical challenges in partnering with patients and family caregivers while preserving the primacy of the patient-physician relationship. The American College of Physicians in conjunction with ten other professional societies offers ethical guidance to physicians in developing mutually supportive patient-physician-caregiver relationships.
家庭照顾者在最大限度地提高 3000 多万名急性和慢性病患者的健康和生活质量方面发挥着重要作用。患者依赖家庭照顾者来帮助他们进行日常活动、管理复杂的护理、在医疗保健系统中进行导航以及与医疗保健专业人员进行沟通。身体、情感和经济压力可能会增加照顾者受伤和患病的脆弱性。地理上遥远的家庭照顾者和担任家庭照顾者角色的医疗保健专业人员可能会承受额外的负担。医生认识到照顾者角色的价值可能有助于提供积极的照顾体验，并降低患者住院和住院治疗的比率。然而，医生在与患者和家庭照顾者合作的同时，可能会面临维护医患关系至上的伦理挑战。美国医师学院与其他十个专业协会一起，为医生提供了制定相互支持的医患照顾者关系的伦理指导。
