 |
|
|||
 |
 |
|||
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
||||
|
|
Living Well—and Dying Well—Means Living Informed When facing a terminal illness and a life expectancy of weeks or months, you need complete, honest information to make educated decisions about your care and how you will live out your days. Sadly, not enough physicians in our country are willing to have this difficult, but very important conversation, as highlighted in Monday’s Florida Times-Union front-page article (“Knowing’s half the battle with cancer,” June 16). The article suggests physicians may not choose to speak candidly, thinking they are doing their patients a kindness and trying to keep hope alive. Are these patients better off being kept alive, not by hope, but by machines in hospitals, because they never fully understood their condition or realized the time they had left? Where did their hope go? As a physician and Community Hospice of Northeast Florida medical director, I see far too many people in our area who die within days of admission into our program, or in some cases, mere hours. While some of them may have continued to seek treatments while knowing the odds, I can’t help but wonder if they fully understood their situation or had the opportunity to choose another course. A recent study in the Journal of Palliative Medicine reports that, while 86 percent of study physicians were certain that their patient’s death was imminent, only 11 percent of them reported having personally spoken with their patients about dying. Is it any wonder that nearly one-third of hospice patients only seek out care within a week of their death? What is their quality of life in that week? Do they have a chance to be with loved ones, sign an advance directive or do-not-resuscitate order, or name a healthcare surrogate? If not, how can we as healthcare providers do better? At Community Hospice, we seek to educate community physicians and physicians-in-training about having those difficult conversations, by offering in-services and role-playing exercises. We believe it’s not only important to treat the patient’s pain and symptoms but to do so in a fully informed manner. That’s why we offer this kind of education. Physicians are human beings, who hurt with you and for you. While we might want to spare you potentially painful news, show us you want that truthful conversation and ask questions. The more you ask, and the earlier you ask, the more likely you’ll have that chance to complete your “bucket list,” say good-bye and draw a rich life to conclusion. This is your life. No one should have to face the end of it uninformed. Frank Santamaria, M.D. Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer Community Hospice of Northeast Florida
Established in 1979 as the first hospice program in Northeast Florida, Community Hospice of Northeast Florida® helps nearly 1,000 patients live better with advanced illness each day in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties, through the support of more than 700 employees and nearly 900 volunteers. The nonprofit organization has served more than 48,000 children and adults—at home, in long term care facilities, hospitals and through four inpatient centers throughout Jacksonville. Community Hospice Foundation™ generates philanthropic and community support for patient care services, family needs and community programs such as Community PedsCare®, a pediatric palliative and hospice program, and the programs and services through the Charles M. Neviaser Educational Institute. Care is available to all patients who need it, regardless of their ability to pay.
Community Hospice and Community PedsCare are registered trademarks and Community Hospice Foundation is a trademark of Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, Inc.
|
|
|
||||||
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|