[Dr. H's Clipboard] Bargaining in Your Patient's Best Interest

Published: Thu, 08/24/17



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Bargaining in Your Patient's
Best Interest

Peter, a spry 91-year-old gentleman with progressive dementia, arrived in the ER after pulling out his feeding tube while sleeping. His daughter, Linda, stated, "He hates this thing. Does he really need it?"

The ER doctor was certain that Peter was near the end of his life, in part due to post-surgery rehab not progressing well. The physician reinserted a temporary feeding tube, overruled the "nothing by mouth" rule and handed Peter a cup of water and some gelatin. The simple act of kindness made Peter the happiest man alive. 

Linda was conflicted. She was afraid of doing something wrong, yet loved seeing the twinkle in her father’s eyes. The physician explained that palliative care respects the wishes of patients who are expected to die. He even offered to remove the temporary feeding tube, but Linda felt it best to discuss this with her mother before making that decision. Peter left the ER overjoyed and Linda received a referral to a palliative care agency.

The following tips will help you better understand how receiving palliative care
puts you in a better bargaining position:


 
Resource Article

We Plan for Death Poorly in the U.S.


My take on the bullet points of another ER doctor - Sudip Bose, MD:
  • Best one-liner: People aren’t living longer, they’re dying longer
  • Dying is not a fun topic to talk about
  • We need to get “comfortable” with the concept of palliative care
  • "Patients who have a terminal illness" are typically not informed of this and not aware that they are dying
  • 70% of doctors are not aware that their patient have documents with end-of-life wishes – who’s responsible for this?
  • People don’t make the best decisions while under stress
  • From 1998-2010 depression has increased 26% in the last year of life
  • Doctors ask patients what they want – We need to be more forthright with telling them what they don’t want
  • Every patient, family, case and doctor is different – not really.

 
Hear Dr. H
September 6-9, 2017
"Conversations Matter Most in the
Emergency Department
"
Advance Care Planning and
End-of-Life Care Conference

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Banff, Alberta, Canada


 
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON SOON

Is Palliative Care Right For YOU?
by Kevin J. Haselhorst, MD

 
The key to making medical decisions
is understanding palliative care:
Palliative Care
is the
bridge between
advance care
and end-of-life care.


When you no longer have your health,
how will you spend your time and money?


Is quality of life more important than
staying alive at any cost?


This booklet will teach you:
  • What palliative care means in practical terms
  • The value of making your own medical decisions
  • How to gain peace of mind with chronic illness
Command respect during your next
doctor visit by saying,
"I receive palliative care."


Learn more at KevinHaselhorst.com


 
Kevin's World

BECOMING ACCLAIMED


My great niece, Sophia, awoke on the first day of preschool and found a sign in her front yard welcoming her to St. Teresa Catholic School. The image depicts her rising to the occasion, being celebrated as a big girl now, and having the school stake a claim in her formation as a valuable member of society. The future appears promising when others are eager to watch over and acclaim your loved one.

Yard signs call attention to personal values that exist in the home. What if palliative agencies, that help families dealing with chronic illness have a blessed day, stuck a sign outside homes? Would others support this public celebration of a milestone?  Would neighbors appreciate that a highly acclaimed person lives there? Would the future appear as promising?
 
 
Tributes & Wishes
#TributeTuesday
Share a tribute to a loved one who has died, or to mark the anniversary of their death.

From August 15th: #TributeTuesday: The legacy of Glen Campbell who died August 8, 2017 inspired me to "Try a Little Kindness."



#WishfulWednesday
Have a wish for the weekend? Post your plan on Wednesday. Practice expressing end-of-life wishes during the prime of life

From August 16th: #WishfulWednesday: Get what you want at the end of life by having a do-not-resuscitate order.

 
How to Approach Living While Dying

Living While Dying

Please support this film that makes “living while dying” easier for everyone to engage.

Help spread the word about
this Generosity fundraiser!


UPDATE

Immense Possibilities is a weekly public TV
and internet series that featured an interview with Cathy Zheutlin about Living While Dying

Watch the interview: (10 minutes)
Watch on Vimeo 


Cathy needs to raise more money for the music, the sound mix and the color corrections.  

Please help get the word out to others you think
might want to back this project!  


Only have time for 24 seconds? 

As Cathy explores the reality of her loved ones facing death, she turns the camera around and looks at herself.

How will she approach living while dying?

The end result of the film is to have viewers ponder and pick their own rite of passage.