We believe physicians have a responsibility not to abandon. If a physician finds himself or herself in a position of not being able to conclude the process, that physician can still do the exploration that is discussed in this document. If the wish of the patient is still to proceed, then the physician ought to either refer to another physician or provide sources of referral that the patient can access in such a way that the patient is not left having to fend for himself or herself at this important time of life.
There's a responsibility for the physician, even though the physician may not be performing the procedure, to attend to other medical needs, to transfer records, to connect with loved ones in a process that not only encompasses the end of the life of that patient but that also goes beyond. Very often, as family physicians, we have awareness of the spouse, of the children, of the family.
