Friday, October 23, 2009

"No Country for Sick Men," Newsweek, 9/21/2009

The fundamental truth about health care in every country," notes Princeton professor Uwe Reinhardt, one of the world's preeminent health-care economists, "is that national values, national character, determine how each system works."  more. . .

Monday, October 6, 2008

Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama get "F"s

I see that the best states for palliative care are Vermont, New Hampshire, and Montana. They are probably the best states to live our whole lives in too.

It's hard to imagine that a community that values care to alleviate needless pain wouldn't be a great place to live healthy.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Why write about "palliative" care and "bioethics" ?

This BLOG invites questions and comments on topics related to the improvement of health care for Oklahomans. Health providers and consumers are encouraged to post information and resources that would aid readers who are providing or seeking health care for terminal or serious, chronic illness particularly. Information about Oklahoma laws and advance planning is also an important topic that will be addressed.

"Palliative" care can be defined in simplest terms as health care that provides "comfort" to a patient rather than care that is given to "cure" the underlying medical condition. Palliative and curative care can be combined in a treatment plan that is aimed toward curing the patient while also providing effective pain management.

"Bioethics" is a term that addresses the ethical issues that arise as a result of medical advances in the treatment of disease. These issues can be difficult and complex as health providers, patients and caring family and friends try to make decisions that involve life or death, comfort or aggressive treatment of terminal or serious, chronic illness.

Readers are encouraged to ask questions, relate experiences, and suggest ideas that relate to health ethics, pain management, and other medico/ethics or legal topics related to the discussion. Efforts will be made to answer questions or refer readers to appropriate resources for information.

This blog is not a part of, or associated with, the University of Oklahoma and is open to any reader who wishes to participate in the discussion.

Which services would your health facility be interested in receiving from the Oklahoma Palliative Care Resource Center?