We find “Futility” is not a useful term when discussing treatment options.
- It is not well defined and tends to be inflammatory, since it may be viewed as a value judgement.
- It can pit clinicians against each other and against the patient and family, making is harder to find realistic and patient-centered treatments.
When you feel a therapy may be “futile”, we suggest you ask what benefit would like to the patient and family. Consider whether a time-limited trial of the therapy would be helpful. If not, we suggest you replace “futility” with “non-beneficial care,” or simply share your concern that the treatment “would not make them feel better.” It helps patients and other clinicians understand you are weighing harms and benefits and making a recommendation toward helpful therapies.
Click here to learn more about medical “futility” by reading more the University of Washington website.
For more information, call our providers at 360-814-5550 or email:
- Erika Pope: [email protected]
- Leslie Estep: [email protected]
- Anita Meyer: [email protected]
- Lissa Anderson: [email protected]
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