Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hospitals Giving 'Death Test' to Seniors
Newser ^ | 01/25/2016 | Neal Colgrass,

Posted on 01/26/2015 12:38:22 PM PST by Responsibility2nd

(Newser) Seniors had better brace themselves: Some US hospitals are now administering the "death test," which estimates their chance of dying over the next 30 days. Invented in Australia, the test weighs 29 different criteria—including blood pressure, respiratory rate, and medical history—to determine whether hospitalization is worthwhile or the patient should return home or go to a hospice, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The idea is to prevent needless and expensive procedures while allowing patients to spend their last days with loved ones. "Most terminally ill people want to die at home, but in fact three quarters end up dying in acute hospitals, often after intrusive, expensive and ultimately pointless medical procedures," says study author Magnolia Cardona-Morrell, the Independent reports.   

The test also aims to take pressure off doctors and nurses to prolong patients' lives "at all costs," the Telegraph reports. "I had lots of nurses and doctors standing there saying, 'We have been waiting for a tool like this for years, when can we start using it?'" says Cardona-Morrell, whose work was presented recently at a US medical conference. "To me that is an indication there is a need out there." She says the test takes just five or ten minutes, and helps doctors have a more "transparent" conversation with patients. Called CriSTAL, it's now being tested to see if it would have predicted the future of patients who have since died. Then it may be used in more hospitals. (In related news, a study says those who feel younger than their age will live longer.)


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 0carenightmare; australia; australiadeathtest; cardonamorrell; cristal; deathpanels; deathtest; hospitaldeathtest; obamacare; palinwasright; usdeathtest
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-69 next last
"We're awfully sorry, Mom. But you flunked the test."

("Hey hon? Did you get the funeral home on the line yet?")

1 posted on 01/26/2015 12:38:22 PM PST by Responsibility2nd
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

Mirror in front of nostrils?................


2 posted on 01/26/2015 12:40:01 PM PST by Red Badger (If you compromise with evil, you just get more evil..........................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I shouldn’t lol, but I lol’ed...


3 posted on 01/26/2015 12:41:44 PM PST by To Hell With Poverty (Ephesians 6:12 becomes more real to me with each news cycle.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

If you like your death panel, you can keep your death panel.


4 posted on 01/26/2015 12:42:18 PM PST by glock rocks (Whenever I find myself in a conundrum, I ask myself: What would Elvis do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Exactly!


5 posted on 01/26/2015 12:43:03 PM PST by BigEdLB (Now there ARE 1,000,000 regrets - but it may be too late.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

But don’t you dare call them death panels, you ignorant racist TEA-baggers!


6 posted on 01/26/2015 12:43:10 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Government is the religion of the fascists.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: glock rocks

Sarah was right!


7 posted on 01/26/2015 12:43:10 PM PST by gr8eman (Don't waste your energy trying to understand commies. Use it to defeat them!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

I have heard that geriatric care is a great proving ground for various new treatments and techniques. Aside from the obvious sinister implications of this “test,” it would be a shame to lose this area of potential innovation.


8 posted on 01/26/2015 12:44:16 PM PST by To Hell With Poverty (Ephesians 6:12 becomes more real to me with each news cycle.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

ya mean like THIS one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYCbF0Fat-c


9 posted on 01/26/2015 12:46:35 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: To Hell With Poverty
I have heard that geriatric care is a great proving ground for various new treatments and techniques.

Terrific. If you live long enough, you'll turn into a guinea pig.

10 posted on 01/26/2015 12:47:46 PM PST by Veto! (Opinions freely dispensed as advice)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: To Hell With Poverty; BigEdLB

A woman brought a very limp parrot into a veterinary hospital. As she lay her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird’s chest. After a moment or two, the Vet shook his head sadly and said, “I’m so sorry, Polly has passed
away.”

The distressed owner wailed, “Are you sure? I mean, you haven’t done any testing on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or something.”

The vet rolled his eyes, shrugged, turned and left the room returning a few moments later with beautiful black Labrador. As the bird’s owner looked on in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his front paws on the examination table and sniffed the dead parrot from top to bottom. He then looked at the vet with sad eyes and shook his head.

The vet led the dog out but returned a few moments later with a cat. The cat jumped up and also sniffed delicately at the ex-bird. The cat sat back, shook its head, meowed and ran out of the room. The vet looked at the woman and said, “I’m sorry; but like I said, your parrot is most definitely, 100% certifiably ...dead.”

He then turned to his computer terminal, hit a few keys and produced a bill which he handed to the woman. The parrot’s owner, still in shock, took the bill. “$150!” she cried. “$150 just to tell me my bird is dead?!”

The vet shrugged. “If you’d taken my word for it, the bill would only have been $20, but with the Lab Report and the Cat Scan, what did you expect?”


11 posted on 01/26/2015 12:48:59 PM PST by Red Badger (If you compromise with evil, you just get more evil..........................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

This is a test for congress!


12 posted on 01/26/2015 12:51:40 PM PST by ronnie raygun (Empty head empty suit = arrogant little bastard)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

LoL. I’ve hear that before, but I still laughed


13 posted on 01/26/2015 12:52:54 PM PST by nuconvert ( Khomeini promised change too // Hail, Chairman O)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

If I were that close to death, why would I want to stay in a hospital and catch some disease?


14 posted on 01/26/2015 12:54:15 PM PST by grania
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: To Hell With Poverty

I have heard that geriatric care is a great proving ground for various new treatments and techniques.

________________________________________________

Yeppers. But under ObamaCare it is also great opportunity to cut corners and save money.


15 posted on 01/26/2015 12:54:17 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (See Ya On The Road; Al Baby's Mom!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd
Medical Breakthrough Provides Elderly Woman With 2 Extra Years Of Inconveniencing Family
16 posted on 01/26/2015 12:54:28 PM PST by Wolfie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

LOL...my daughter is training to be a Vet Tech. Just sent it to her. Thanks.


17 posted on 01/26/2015 12:55:02 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

Come'on Granny. People gotta eat.

18 posted on 01/26/2015 12:55:11 PM PST by TADSLOS (The Event Horizon has come and gone. Buckle up and hang on.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: glock rocks

LMAO!!


19 posted on 01/26/2015 12:55:17 PM PST by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) (GOPe is that easy to read))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd; stephenjohnbanker; Gilbo_3; Impy; NFHale; GOPsterinMA; BillyBoy; ...
RE :”(Newser) Seniors had better brace themselves: Some US hospitals are now administering the “death test,” which estimates their chance of dying over the next 30 days. Invented in Australia, the test weighs 29 different criteria—including blood pressure, respiratory rate, and medical history—to determine whether hospitalization is worthwhile or the patient should return home or go to a hospice, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The idea is to prevent needless and expensive procedures while allowing patients to spend their last days with loved ones. “Most terminally ill people want to die at home, but in fact three quarters end up dying in acute hospitals, often after intrusive, expensive and ultimately pointless medical procedures,” says study author Magnolia Cardona-Morrell, the Independent reports.”

Last year an older relative of mine was diagnosed with cancer in three organs and the doctor recommended hospice care over treatment and he agreed without reservation.

He did want his last few months in misery even if drawn out a few months. He was in his late 80s and said he was ready to die.

In fact he only went to the hospital and got those tests because a symptom was making him uncomfortable even on painkillers, otherwise he was insisting on staying home

Couldn't charity help terminally ill cancer patients (who want it) instead of raising our taxes or even more debt?

20 posted on 01/26/2015 12:57:13 PM PST by sickoflibs (King Obama : 'The debate is over. The time for talk is over. Just follow my commands you serfs""')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-69 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson