Say her name: Dr. Susan Moore Op ed about the life and death of Dr. Susan Moore, a black family physician who died of COVID in December, after recording a post relating her racist treatment while a patient.
PPE-clad doctor comforts lonely elderly covid 19 patient The doctor's new role: family member, hug, hand...heartbreaking photo shows PPE-clad doctor comforting lonely, elderly covid-19 patient
Reentry This is a NEJM perspective piece written by a palliative care doctor in NYC in light of the COVID pandemic. A snippet: "From March to June 2020, I led a palliative care team embedded in our hospital’s Covid ICU. We spoke to countless families over the phone and by Zoom calls to tell them their loved ones were critically ill, getting sicker, and eventually, dying. When the prognosis seemed dire, we recommended transitioning to comfort-focused care. And in patients’ final hours and days, we held iPads at their bedsides so that family members around the world could say goodbye."
As they rush to save lives, health care workers are updating their own wills and funeral plans The coronavirus crisis has forced those at the front lines of treatment to confront their own mortality. This article highlights a former Navy ER physician.
A Life-or-Death Situation by Robin Marantz Henig A discussion of the inherently personal nature of the concept of the end of life and the decisions that occur along with it. A patient’s decision, a loved one’s struggle and where should healthcare fit in?
Sounding Board - Death and Dignity - A Case of Individualized Decision Making by Timothy E. Quill, M.D. A doctor’s reflection on how to get to know one’s patient, how to respond to the impending loss of a patient and how to assist a patient in their attempt to die on their own terms.
Hospitals and Families Still Struggle to Define Death by Maanvi Singh Death seems to be one of life’s few certainties...or is it? In this narrative, Maanvi Singh tells the story of the conflict surrounding a 13-year old girl and a 33 year old woman, both kept on life support while legally dead.
Reflecting on DNR/DNI After Being a Code Team Leader by Robert Glass, MD Dr. Pho’ s reflection on talking to patients about DNR/DNI, his reactions to the passing of his patients and the means by which his patients die.
Dying for the First Time by Jesse Kane, MS III Sackler SOM A medical student’s reflection on the first patient he watched die - a story of observing a Code run in the hospital. Brief and poignant.