palliative prognostic measure

Introduction

A systmatic measure of prognosis in terminally ill patients. Such measures are needed.

• A physician's prognosis is a central element of both patient & physician decision making, especially at the end of life.

• Foreseeing: a physician's silent cognitive assessment
• Foretelling: what a physician relays to patient & family
• Physician's prognosis are often wrong & usually optimistic
• Such errors may occur at both phases (foreseeing & foretelling)
  • Thus, patients are often twice removed from the truth.

• Most types of physicians are prone to error in most types of patients.
• Physicians with more experience have better prognostic accuracy.
• A stronger physician-patient relationship is associated with a lower prognostic accuracy.

Notes

• performance status is the best predictor of prognosis in patients with advanced cancer

More general terms

• prognosis

More specific terms

• palliative prognostic index
• palliative prognostic score
• SUPPORT prognostic model