Betancourt v. Trinitas Hospital

Betancourt v. Trinitas Hospital is a New Jersey legal case concerning whether a hospital may unilaterally refuse care to a patient on the grounds that it is futile to prolong the person's life because there is little chance that the condition will improve. It has become the focal point of the ongoing debate surrounding denial of care among professional bioethicists. 

"Rueben Betancourt underwent surgery at defendant Trinitas Hospital to remove a malignant tumor. While Rueben was recovering in the post-operative intensive-care unit, the ventilation tube that was supplying him with oxygen became dislodged. As a result, he developed anoxic encephalopathy, a condition that left him in a persistent vegetative state. Ultimately, he required dialysis three times per week, was maintained on a ventilator, developed decubitus ulcers that had developed into osteomyelitis and was fed with a feeding tube. After various unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issue of continued treatment with Rueben’s family, defendant and various doctors, claiming that continued treatment would be futile and violated the standard of care, placed a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order in Rueben’s chart. In addition, defendant declined to provide further dialysis treatment.

Plaintiff Jacqueline Betancourt, Rueben’s daughter, filed an action to enjoin defendant from implementing such an order. After appointing plaintiff as Rueben’s guardian and following a hearing, Judge Malone, in the Chancery Division, restrained defendant from withholding treatment. This appeal followed, but within three months of the judge’s order requiring reinstatement of treatment, Rueben died. Plaintiff moved to dismiss the appeal as moot."

POLST (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment), now required by law in New Jersey, is a written medical form given by a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant that helps give people with serious illnesses more control over their illness and life by asking them for specific instructions to follow during certain medical emergencies. An example of this could be an ill patient stating that they do not wish to be resuscitated or they do not want to receive nutrients through way of tube.

I read that Mr. Betancourt's prolonging of life cost the hospital in total 1.6 million dollars. 

What are your thoughts?