In an interview on Nov. 15, Dr. Ezekiel Emmanuel, oncologist and chair of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health spoke about the three key elements that must be included while caring for those near death.
He called for: all doctors and nurses to be formally trained in end-of-life care and discussions, all hospitals should offer access to palliative care either at the hospital or at home (currently only 40 percent do), and changing hospice care from a calendar-based option to a needs based option. Read the article here.
While we’re waiting for the hospitals and doctors to get around to it, consider taking the bull by the horns and doing your own advocacy; talk to your loved ones and health care professionals about your own end-of-life decisions.
