[Poor compliance with guidelines for decisions regarding treatment restrictions]

This study investigates decisions regarding treatment restrictions at Helsingborg Hospital. Current guidelines require these decisions to be communicated to the patient and/or relative. This study shows that in a majority of cases the order had not been communicated according to guidelines. The study could not find the reason of these deviations. Several of the included patients were deemed as appropriate for an earlier decision for treatment restriction by their primary care physician. These orders would, most likely, be more thoroughly assessed and better communicated with the patient and/or their relatives.