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Hospitalists require cultural sensitivity for end-of-life care

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, October 13, 2009

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As more patients with acute conditions spend their final days in the hospital, more hospitalists are charged with making end-of-life care decisions. In addition, with an increasingly diverse patient population, hospitalists require cultural competency to make care decisions on behalf of hospitalized patients from various backgrounds, according to a new study, “Review of the literature on cultural competence and end-of-life treatment decisions: The role of the hospitalist,” published in the September issue of the Journal of the National Medical Association.

According to the study, end-of-life care decisions should include awareness about race and ethnicity, as well as spirituality and religion. For example, African Americans are more likely to choose aggressive treatment, compared to Caucasian patients, and patients who consider themselves spiritual reported an increase in satisfaction during ICU stays.

“As the new model of inpatient care gains more acceptance in the United States, physicians should acknowledge how increased cultural diversity among patients and health care professionals may lead to varied clinical decisions based on cultural values,” the study states. “They must learn to communicate openly with patients and colleagues from other cultures, respect their values and beliefs, and identify and resolve cultural dissimilarities that affect patient care.”

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