… higher costs in LA for the seriously ill related to 35% more hospital beds as well as more traditional hospice delivery model. Quality measures favored San Diego. Related editorial describes this medical torture. Related editorial in today’s NEJM.
build it and they will come … Read More »
… Fineberg etal present an empirically derived model of family conferences. Core aspects include conference organization, negotiation, personal stance and emotional work … all working toward meaningful connections with those involved. “Emotion work during the family conference appears to function as a crucial gatekeeper to achieving the desired outcome for the meeting.” Fineberg etal. Communication with Families
core aspects of family conferences … Read More »
… MacAuley’s excellent essay on “Patients who make ‘wrong’ choices” … ”Ironically, for all of palliative care’s talk of total suffering, we may be unwilling to accept that a patient’s emotional suffering over choosing a palliative course of treatment may be more severe than eventual projected physical suffering from an aggressive course … In the
dylan thomas … & the palliative care box … Read More »
… Loprinzi and colleagues review a series of articles from the Journal of Clinical Oncology which addresses how to have difficult conversations (giving bad news, making life decisions). A recurrent theme highlights the importance of the physician working through his/her own needs and issues … eg “The article presents data from behavioral research that documents
compassionate honesty … Read More »
… a study of the different factors that patients with ALS consider in deciding on assisted ventilation. “(1) the meaning of the intervention— participants made a sharp distinction between non-invasive ventilation, which they viewed as a means to relieve symptoms of respiratory failure, and invasive ventilation, which they viewed as taking over their breathing and
burdens & benefits that patients weigh in making decisions … Read More »
