PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jones, Roger C.
AU  - Holden, Timothy
TI  - A guide to assessing decision-making capacity
DP  - 2004 Dec 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - 971--975
VI  - 71
IP  - 12
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/71/12/971.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/71/12/971.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2004 Dec 01; 71
AB  - Many patients have uncertain capacity to make decisions about their care. Determining whether a patient possesses decision-making capacity challenges even the most seasoned of physicians. We illustrate an algorithm devised by Miller and Marin (Emerg Med Clin North Am 2000; 18:233–241) that assesses the patient’s understanding of his or her condition, ability to process information, and stability of decision-making to determine whether he or she possesses adequate decision-making capacity. Although this algorithm is better than previous approaches, it has limitations and potential problems with its implementation.