End-of-Life Decision Making in Hong Kong: The Appeal of the Shared Decision Making Model

Abstract

Making decisions about end-of-life care (EOL care) for the terminally ill is often difficult for patients, family members and health care professionals, as EOL decision-making poses legal, medical, ethical, religious and cultural issues that cannot be easily tackled, such as considerations of the patient’s dignity and autonomy, and ‘paternalism.’ The case of the 41-year-old brain damaged woman, Terri Schiavo in the U.S. (who was in a vegetative state for more than 15 years) has provoked discussion of the right-to-live/right-to-die and the implementation of advance directives (including living wills, health care proxies/durable power of attorney). In particular, the case also raises a crucial question: “who should be the right person to make the decision to embrace the EOL care?”.