The Dangers of Fleet Enemas
February 23, 2012
The dangers of oral sodium phosphate preparations are fairly well known in the medical community. In 2006 the FDA issued…
Final Chapter: Californians’ Attitudes and Experiences with Death and Dying
February 21, 2012
A new survey commissioned by the California HealthCare Foundation gives some great insight into the attitudes and experiences that Californians…
Forging the Future of Geriatrics and Palliative Care
February 21, 2012
This month the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society is e-publishing ahead of print a special article you should read,…
Excellent Review of Palliative Medicine
February 20, 2012
Palliative Medicine specialists do much to improve quality of life in persons with serious illness. But ultimately, providing better care…
GOP Candidates on Advance Directives
January 26, 2012
We have learned a lot of lessons in Hospice and Palliative Care about how political discourse can impact our field…
The Third Annual Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physician Award
January 20, 2012
The 2012 recipients of the third annual Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physician Awards were just recently announced. I was honored to…
Treating Pain to Reduce Behavioral Disturbances in Dementia
December 5, 2011
There have been a lot of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions proposed for the all too common behavioral complications of dementia…
A Study of Dignity Therapy on Distress and the End-of-Life Experience
September 5, 2011
Dignity Therapy is a brief form of psychotherapy developed by Harvey Chochinov, MD with a goal of conserving a dying…
Matchless: Residents Left in the Lurch
August 1, 2011
Over the last two weeks I have had four different second year residents from several institutions ask me about when…
The Medicare Hospice Benefit: A Challenge to the Concerns About the Rise in Cost
July 20, 2011
I was very disappointed with the recent New York Times Article “Concerns About Costs Rise With Hospices’ Use.” The article…