Physicians’ perspective on potentially non-beneficial treatment when assessing patients with advanced disease for ICU admission: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: The use of intensive care at the end of life can be high, leading to inappropriate healthcare utilisation, and prolonged suffering for patients and families. The objective of the study was to determine which factors influence physicians’ admission decisions in situations of potentially non-beneficial intensive care. DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of a qualitative study exploring the triage process. In-depth interviews were analysed using an inductive approach to thematic content analysis. SETTING: Data were collected in a Swiss tertiary care centre between March and June 2013. PARTICIPANTS: 12 intensive care unit (ICU) physicians and 12 internists routinely involved in ICU admission decisions. RESULTS: Physicians struggled to understand the request for intensive care for patients with advanced disease and full code status. Physicians considered patients’ long-term vital and functional prognosis, but they also resorted to shortcuts, that is, a priori consensus about reasons for admitting a patient. Family pressure and unexpected critical events were determinants of admission to the ICU. Patient preferences, ICU physician’s expertise and collaborative decision making facilitated refusal. Physicians were willing to admit a patient with advanced disease for a limited amount of time to fulfil a personal need. CONCLUSIONS: In situations of potentially non-beneficial intensive care, the influence of shortcuts or context-related factors suggests that practice variations and inappropriate admission decisions are likely to occur. Institutional guidelines and timely goals of care discussions with patients with advanced disease and their families could contribute to ensuring appropriate levels of care.