Doctors don't overtreat themselves

There's an intriguing blog post called "How Doctors Die" on The Health Care Blog.

Emergency room physician Ken Murray writes that unlike much of the population, doctors don't seek out every last possible treatment when facing death.

He points out that CPR has an "infinitesimal" chance of providing a good outcome for those with severe illness, old age, or a terminal disease—yet it's often administered to nonphysicians.

He also states that doctors see the consequences of overtreatment, which is why they don't generally request it for themselves.

"Almost anyone can find a way to die in peace at home, and pain can be managed better than ever," Dr. Murray writes. "Hospice care, which focuses on providing terminally ill patients with comfort and dignity rather than on futile cures, provides most people with much better final days. Amazingly, studies have found that people placed in hospice care often live longer than people with the same disease who are seeking active cures."