Decisions Near the End of Life was a national initiative to improve terminal and palliative care in the United States by equipping health care institutions to address ethical and legal misconceptions that stand in the way of better care for patients and families. At the time the program ended, there were 225 hospitals and nursing homes in 32 states participating in it. EDC staff directly trained more than 1000 physicians, nurses, social workers, and pastoral counselors who, in turn, trained approximately 40,000 colleagues.
Directors: Karen S. Heller, Ph.D., Mildred Z. Solomon, Ed.D.
Duration: 1987–1994
Funder: W.K. Kellogg Foundation| Participant fees
Partner: The Hastings Center, The American Medical Association, The American Bar Association, and The Hospital Research & Educational Trust, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association