tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476621888383604834.post5628578648969401401..comments2024-02-15T03:26:38.897-05:00Comments on Health Care Organizational Ethics: Torturing the Frail ElderlyJim Sabinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03087828142188534542noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476621888383604834.post-39487598967481508232010-06-23T16:01:41.793-04:002010-06-23T16:01:41.793-04:00Hi Chris -
Thank you for your comment!
If you re...Hi Chris -<br /><br />Thank you for your comment!<br /><br />If you read Katy Butler's excellent article via the link in my post (it's a <b>very</b> good read!) you'll see that the problem was more one of <i>how</i> Jeffrey Butler's physicians approached his care. His primary care physician understood him and his wife well, and would have made recommendations in accord with their values and wishes. But the cardiologists were more like technicians - their recommendations were tailored to his slow heart rate, not to his full humanity. For the slow heart rate a pacemaker was (in medical jargon) "indicated." But for the man whose heart it was, a pacemaker (again in medical jargon) was "contraindicated."<br /><br />Katy Butler brings out how Medicare pays handsomely for putting in the pacemaker, but quite poorly for spending time with patient and family to learn about their values. Jeffrey Butler's wife was scared and overwhelmed when she agreed to the pacemaker. She thought it was the only way to get him out of the pain he was feeling. But it wasn't the only way. And by not spending time to sort out the family's objectives, the cardiologist did a grave disservice. <br />Best<br /><br />JimJim Sabinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03087828142188534542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476621888383604834.post-58907321028898931462010-06-23T13:51:42.777-04:002010-06-23T13:51:42.777-04:00I think it is very important for the elderly to ma...I think it is very important for the elderly to make their final wishes clear to their loved ones. From the sound of this post it almost seems like you need a lawyer to write them out in order to be sure they carried out.Chris K.http://www.termlifeinsurance.org/noreply@blogger.com