ABCD Exchange : December 1998 : QuickScan - News in Brief

Upfront - Congressional Forum on Pain Management
President's Letter - Kevorkian Deserves Outrage
Kevorkian Faces Homicide Charges
Commentary - Kevorkian on 60 Minutes - 1
Commentary - Kevorkian on 60 Minutes - 2
Resources - Recycling Medical Devices
Lunch Bunch - First Meeting

News and Notes on End-of-Life Care

Florida - Thanks to the Florida Commission on Aging With Dignity, residents of 33 states and the District of Columbia can use a booklet, Five Wishes, to think about how they want to be treated should they have a life-threatening illness, or become unable to voice their decisions. More than 250,000 people have requested copies. Developed by the Florida Commission on Aging with Dignity, the Wishes enhance the usual legalese of living wills by describing many ways in which a person might choose to be treated. People can describe the level of treatment they want, how comfortable they want to be, how they want to be treated, what loved ones need to know, and who should make health care decisions for them.

It conforms with laws in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

Order copies by visiting the Aging with Dignity web site www.agingwithdignity.org or by writing P.O. Box 1661, Tallahassee, FL 32302. The group requests a $4 donation.

Washington, DC - Hospice Foundation of America released an educational series to run in several major newspapers across the country during November and December. The eight-part series informs readers about end-of-life issues and educates them about the benefits of hospice care. Topics include, "Americans Change Care for the Dying," "Will Your Doctor Do What You Want?" and, "Can We Humanize Our Medical System?" The series offers readers advice on the hospice option, how to help a dying friend, and points out ways medical technology can complicate a peaceful death. You can read the eight-part series on HFA’s web site at: www.hospicefoundation.org.

New York - The First Annual Doctor’s Death & Dignity Conference met in September at the Chautauqua Institute. Ira Byock, M.D., Timothy Quill, M.D., Kathleen Foley, M.D., Mildred Solomon, Ed.D, and Karen Stanley R.N. led discussions for more than one hundred participants in an attempt to find common ground. Participants represented many fields, and included internists, family practitioners, and surgeons (orthopedics, general and cardiovascular). Groups discussed palliative care, medical futility, communication with patients and families, as well as pain management and physician assisted suicide. Sponsored by Hamot Medical Center in Erie, PA, plans are underway for next year’s conference.

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This content is provided by Americans for Better Care of the Dying. For more information, visit www.abcd-caring.org.