Unbiased Analysis of Today's Healthcare Issues
In recent years, demand for palliative rather than interventionist end-of-life in hospices has grown dramatically. More than a million patients each year use hospice facilities. In fact, in some cases terminally patients live longer in hospice than in more intensive care settings. However, hospice are generally most attractive when they provide treatment if patients face…
Metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer, the leading cause of death from cancer worldwide, is a debilitating disease that results in a high burden of symptoms and poor quality of life; the estimated prognosis after the diagnosis has been established is less than 1 year. Due to the high mortality rates of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, palliative…
Atul Gawande has written yet another excellent article in the New Yorker. This one about end of life care. In the debate surrounding health reform, many politicians hijacked the serious discussion of end-of-life decisions and decisions to use non-invasive medical treatment were termed death panels. But end-of-life decisions merit further investigation. Not only can giving…