Notes From the Field
September 18, 2009
I am in the emergency room with my 93 year old father-in-law. His colostomy bag has filled up with blood…
Newsweek article on rethinking end of life care
September 16, 2009
The current issue of Newsweek includes an article titled “The Case for Killing Granny: Rethinking End of Life Care.” It…
“Moribund Obesity”: Palliative care diagnosis or poorly chosen label?
September 16, 2009
I’ve always had a fascination with how certain phrases influence practice and how established terms frame and reinforce provider attitudes…
Overuse of Pain Medications in Hospice and Palliative Medicine
September 12, 2009
This week’s Lancet includes an article titled “The Death of Ivan Ilyich and pain relief at the end of life”…
Palliative Care Grand Rounds Coming to GeriPal
September 1, 2009
Leigh Kramer from the blog “Confessions of a Young (Looking) Social Worker” will be hosting Palliative Care Grand Rounds this…
Interview with Seth Landefeld about Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine Leadership Summit
August 31, 2009
The John Hartford Foundation supported the inaugural summit of leaders from geriatrics and palliative medicine in July to encourage opportunities,…
A Rant on Terminology
August 27, 2009
News Headlines read: Sen. Edward Kennedy loses battle with cancer. Really, he lost? I thought he died from a malignant…
Educating the masses about Geriatrics and Palliative Care (aka Marketing)
August 26, 2009
Geriatrics and Palliative Care (and primary care) have a problem. We haven’t learned how to make our work, our mission,…
Despair not Progressives
August 25, 2009
With “Death Panels” dominating the healthcare reform debate, I was getting depressed. My hope had continued to rest with the…
A Health Care Glossary for Politically Charged Times
August 14, 2009
Now that we are in an Orwellian world in which words reflect corporate and politically motivated interests rather than reality,…