Ethical issues in geriatric emergency medicine

The emergence of ethics, geriatrics, and emergency medicine as areas of specialized interest has proceeded rapidly over the past two decades. Each of these fields continues to grow in response to patient needs, but it is clear that scientific knowledge alone cannot provide the physician with all the guidance necessary to ensure the provision of optimal care. Patient care cannot consist only of making diagnoses, prescribing medications, and performing technical procedures. Particularly in the care of the elderly, the emergency physician must be able to recognize ethical issues and to respond to them in the manner that will provide the greatest benefit to the patient. With the application of such skills, the emergency treatment of the elderly promises more benefit for elderly patients and their families and less doubt and anguish for emergency practitioners.