The Enemy Is Not Death- The Enemy Is Needless Suffering

It is a little hard to define, but as with pornography, you know it when you see it.   Nonetheless, given the importance of “getting” good end-of-life care, let us take a moment to try and explain.

The 92-year-old patient is bleeding into her head, but has blood clots in her lungs. She suffers from advanced heart disease and has been on both a respirator and dialysis for three weeks. She is failing as, like flimsy rowed dominos, vital systems collapse. Her chance of surviving the hospitalization is less than one in a hundred.

Despite death lurking, just another complication away, this nonagenarian is treated with maximal, aggressive, unrestrained care. She is not only full code (when her body stops they will pound on her chest and pour joules of electricity into her broken heart), but she is receiving over 30 different medications, a list which grows as medical complications breed new catastrophes, everyday.

The doctor running this case does not “get it.” He acts as if he does not realize that everyone dies. He has completely failed to provide merciful, honest care and instead has set up a plan to maximize suffering, compound confusion, amplify futile intervention and guarantee out-of-control costs that will bankrupt the family. While the patient and family bear the responsibility for key life decisions, the “healer” has set up a ridiculous, unethical and incredibly common system of care.

To read the entire article by James C. Salwitz MD on Kevin.MD.com, Click Here