In:
PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 18, No. 6 ( 2023-6-2), p. e0276090-
Abstract:
This study aims to determine the approximate number of hospitalizations of persons without family and the medical challenges they encounter in hospitals across Japan. Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to 4,000 randomly selected hospitals nationwide to investigate the actual conditions and problems, decision-making processes, and use of the government-recommended Guidelines for the hospitalization of, and decision-making support for, persons without family. To identify the characteristics of each region and role of hospitals, chi-square tests were used to make separate group comparisons by hospital location and type. Responses were received from 1,271 hospitals (31.2% response rate), of which 952 hospitals provided information regarding the number of admissions of persons without family. The mean (SD) and median number of hospitalizations (approximate number per year) of patients without family was 16 (79) and 5, respectively. Approximately 70% of the target hospitals had experienced the hospitalization of a person without family, and 30% of the hospitals did not. The most common difficulties encountered during the hospitalization were collecting emergency contact information, decision-making related to medical care, and discharge support. In the absence of family members and surrogates, the medical team undertook the decision-making process, which was commonly performed according to manuals and guidelines and by consulting an ethics committee. Regarding the use of the government-recommended Guidelines, approximately 70% of the hospitals that were aware of these Guidelines responded that they had never taken any action based on these Guidelines, with significant differences by region and hospital type. To solve the problems related to the hospitalization of persons without family, the public should be made aware of these Guidelines, and measures should be undertaken to make clinical ethics consultation a sustainable activity within hospitals.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1932-6203
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.t001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.t002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.t003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.t004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.t005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.t006
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.t007
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.t008
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s006
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s007
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s008
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s009
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s010
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s011
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.s012
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.r001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.r002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.r003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0276090.r004
Language:
English
Publisher:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2267670-3
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