摘要：Mr. Roberts was admitted to the University Medical Center with heart failure. He was well known to the staff, having had quadruple bypass surgery 10 years prior when he was 55. He had been a frequent visitor to the cardiology and surgery service with various heart complications since then. After a long night of tests and consultations, the cardiology team diagnosed Mr. Roberts with end-stage heart failure. Due to his past medical history, he was deemed to be ineligible for a heart transplant. Visibly distressed by the news, Mr. Roberts, his hands tightly clasping his wife’s, asked the attending physician about his prognosis. In his current condition, he was told, he probably had a month to live. “Come on doc, there must be something you can do.” The attending physician told Mr. Roberts he would consult with his colleague, Dr. Jones, to see whether there were any treatment alternatives.
