decline a low-risk procedure

[NewAmerica]

Longman dictionary defines procedure as "a medical treatment or operation."

Can you see whether it is a treatment (palliative care) or a surgery (operation) in the context below?

Sorry I've only read from Objective to Results and haven't read through the paper.

Thanks in advance

****************************
Constructing High-Stakes Surgical Decisions: It's Better to Die
Trying
Objective—To explore high-stakes surgical decision making from the perspective of seniors and surgeons.
Background—A majority of older chronically ill patients would decline a low-risk procedure if the outcome was severe functional impairment. However, 25 percent of Medicare beneficiaries have surgery in their last three months of life, which may be inconsistent with their preferences. How patients make decisions to have surgery may contribute to this problem of unwanted care. <.........................>

-HHS Public Access
Source (PDF file)

 

[grassy]

Have you read the title of the paper? The word surgical is used there.

 

[NewAmerica]

Of course I have.

Are you saying that the procedure refers to a surgical procedure?

 

[Hermione Golightly]

'Procedures' usually refers to any sort of invasive intervention, possibly diagnostic, often used for what isn't usually described as 'surgery', but including minor surgery.
'Procedures' I've had in recent years include having a pre- cancerous growth cut out of my leg, a lumbar puncture, and a needle breast biopsy. I'd also describe mammograms and smear tests as 'procedures'.

The word 'procedure' is often used conversationally when people don't want to use the word 'surgery' or 'operation'.
It's clear that this article is about 'operations', 'surgical procedures'.

A majority of older chronically ill patients would decline a low-risk procedure if the outcome was severe functional impairment.

What on earth does that mean? How can a procedure be described as 'low risk' if the outcome is 'severe functional impairment'.
I hope that the article explains this startling comment!