Rethinking end of life care as Americans face dying
A National Cancer Policy Board report highlights severe pain and poor symptom control for half of the 550,000 cancer deaths yearly. It cites underfunded pallia tive care and calls for broader access to comfort-focused treatment, with experts urging better communication and patient autonomy in end of life decisions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wein
National Cancer Policy Board
Institute of Medicine and
National Research Council
National Cancer Institute
California
America
Journal of the American Medical Association
Kathleen Foley
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York
Foley
Americans dying and caring for terminal cancer patients
About 2.4 million Americans die yearly and end of life needs include untreated pain and distress. Doctors underestimate psychological suffering and economic factors limit access to relief. Medical training neglects dying patient care and NCI funds for terminal cancer care remain under 1 percent of its budget.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
National Cancer Institute
End of Life Care Shifts with Doctors and Hospitals
The article notes growing focus on palliative care as insurers and medical groups redefine roles. It highlights physician training gaps, patient communication needs, and landmark media influence via PBS’s On Our Own Terms Movers on Dying. It also follows Barbara Wein’s hospice experience illustrating personalized end of life planning.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Journal of the American Medical Association
Bernard Lo
University of California
San Francisco
American College of Physicians
American Society For Internal Medicine
Dick Davidson
The
American Hospital Association
PBS
Kathleen Foley
America
Foley
End of Life Health Care Principles Emphasize Dignity and Palliative Access
Core principles from 1999 outline patient and caregiver dignity, respect for wishes, pain relief, psychological and social support, continuity of care, access to therapies that improve quality of life, hospice and palliative care, and the right to refuse treatment. They advocate physician responsibility to discontinue nonbeneficial treatments and support ongoing research.
End of Life Resources From Leading Health Groups
Nonprofit organizations offer guidance for end-of-life care including advanced illness planning, advance directives, caregiving support, and policy updates. Resources cover living with dying, hospice care, grief, wills, and estate planning through groups like the Last Acts Campaign AARP Growth House and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
America
Findingourway
Partnership For Caring
Partnershipforcaring
Last Acts
Lastacts.org
Nhpco.org
Growth House
Yahoo of
Growthhouse.org
Center For
Veterans Administration Healthcare Network
Upstate New York
Albany
Coordinatedcare
AARP
Aarp.org
Agingwithdignity.org
Capemssm
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Midbio.org
Soros.org
Abed-Caring
American Academy of Hospice Physicians
Aahom
Robert Milch
J. Donald Schumacher
Barbara Wein Dies After Stopping Intravenous Fluids
Barbara Wein chose to end artificial hydration five days before death, dying on her own terms. Dr. Robert Milch of the Buffalo Center for Hospice and Palliative Care and SUNY Buffalo medical faculty notes provide context on hospice care. Dr. J Donald Schumacher and Dr. Christopher Kerr contributed to the article.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Barbara Wein
Wein
Center For Hospice and Palliative Care
Buffalo
N.Y
State University of New York At Buffalo School of Medicine
Biomedical Sciences
J. Donald Schumacher
Psy
Center For
Hospice and
Christopher Kerr
Also Mentioned on This Page
United States
Heart Dease
God
Association
National Canes For Health Statistics
Nas of the American Media
Policy Board
National Cen
Finding Ourway
Tients
American Board of Internal Medicine
American College of Surgeons
American Cancer Society
Blue Cross-Blue Shield
Kaiser-Permanente
National
V.A. Healthcare System
Barbara
Milbank Memorial Fund
Christine Cassel
Farm Bureau
Iowa
Mike Fettkether
Vaughn Blythe
Ted Crow
Kirk Wilkie
Donna Mooney
Joyce Soppe
Bill MecNiel
Dean Johnson
Brian Berg
Randy Strand
Robert Brown
Hiawatha
Bud Brinkman
Jerry Dilger
Farm Bureau Financial Services
Insurance + Investments
Www
Fbis.com
Marketing Services, LLC
Des Moines
Equiv
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