Never say die?-as treatments fail doctors' words must not

The problem of an inadequate end-of-life care for hospitalisedpatients not specifically receiving focused palliative careis common, but avoidable. Existing healthcare systems andpersonnel can and should provide excellent care at the endof life to patients dying in hospital. That they do not is anavoidable tragedy, as hospice care and the philosophysurrounding this approach to dying patients use similarresources and provide exemplary treatment at the end of life. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.