You know, Sarah Palin may have done the hospice and palliative care movement a great favor with her incendiary comment about “death panels.” Look for these two thoughtful articles from yesterday’s New York Times:
Months to Live: At the End, Offering Not a Cure, but Comfort by Anemona Hartocollis, a wonderful profile of a palliative care doctor and a couple of his patients.
Doctor and Patient: Talking Often, and Calmly, About Dying by Pauline W. Chen, M.D.
Dr. Chen is the author of the book, Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality, an amazing glimpse into how doctors are trained and why so many of them avoid talking about death with patients.
Even conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer had some very thoughtful comments in his column today about end-of-life counseling.
What are your thoughts on the topic?