End-of-life vision

Palliative Support Team

We strive to provide optimal care and services for all patients supported by a total people approach and carried by a Christian vision of faith. This presupposes caring and meaningful end-of-life support.

The hospital's Palliative Support Team plays a crucial role in this. Ethical questions surrounding the approaching end of life, such as stopping treatments, palliative sedation and euthanasia are open for discussion. The palliative support team uses roadmaps when dealing with such questions, in order to avoid misunderstandings (both between patient and caregivers, and between caregivers themselves). Great importance is placed on communication and exchange of information between caregivers, the patient and his family.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is possible in our hospital if all legal requirements are met and if the physician is willing to perform the euthanasia according to the predetermined step-by-step plan.

Early care planning

As a patient, it is important to think about the end of life in advance. This is called early care planning. Early care planning means talking with your family members and involved caregivers about your wishes and your view of end-of-life care. If you want, you can also document this in a living will. That way, at times when you are no longer able to indicate it yourself (e.g., when you are unconscious or irrevocably confused) or when you are no longer able to will, caregivers/family members are aware of what you want and don't want. You can also designate a legal representative or trusted person who can and may make decisions on your behalf in such moments.