Factors Associated with Physician Moral Distress Caring for Hospitalized Elderly Patients Needing a Surrogate Decision-maker: a Prospective Study

When working with surrogate decision-makers, physicians often encounter ethical challenges that may cause moral distress which can have negative consequences for physicians. To determine frequency of and factors associated with physicians’ moral distress caring for patients requiring a surrogate. Prospective survey. Physicians (n = 154) caring for patients aged 65 years and older and their surrogate decision-makers (n = 362 patient/surrogate...