Should research be part of advance care planning?
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Correspondence: Alexandra M Easson Easson.Alexandra@uhn.on.ca
Lecturer, University of Toronto, Department of Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Critical Care 2005, 9:10-11 doi:10.1186/cc3029
Published: 16 December 2004Abstract
Advance care planning is a process to help people to formulate and communicate their preferences regarding future care during critical illness. Reviews of the advance care planning process in its current form have been disappointing. Improvements in care at the end of life and palliative care are necessary for the provision of modern medical care. Medical research has led to many improvements at the physiological and technological levels. It is only by applying the same rigour of scientific study and research ethics that improvements in the advance care planning process can be made.