Una vida... prolongada

Abstract

In recent years, we have seen a scientific and technical breakthrough in health care so dramatic that it had never been seen before in human history, but together with these important, fundamental and necessary progresses (and every adjective that we would like to use), we should not forget that we care for human beings. High technology allows us to elongate people’s lives and sometimes, we do everything that is possible, forgetting that what we have to do is “just” what is necessary. This fact is what patient-centred care is about: the patient is the center of attention taking into account their preferences, morals and decisions, etc., in order to have the most dignified life as possible, from the beginning, during and till the end of their days. This is why issues such as the patient’s autonomy, the adequacy of the therapeutic effort, the previous instructions, etc., are increasingly taking more importance in our daily work, joining together both the scientific and technical aspects and the human factor, in order to provide a health care designed by and for the people.