Medical ethicist Dr. Joseph Fins' newly published book, A Palliative Ethic
of Care, examines how doctors can offer compassionate palliative care to
patients facing the end of life.
The book's first part, entitled Death and Dying in Context, examines the
larger ethical issues in end-of-life care while the second part takes a more
pragmatic approach of how to handle specific situations. In this second
part, Dr. Fins offers a "Goal of Care Assessment Tool," as a sort of
blueprint for doctors to work with patients and family members to develop
appropriate goals at life's end.
The book also identifies and examines barriers to effective palliative care
that stem from both physicians and patients, revealing potential problems
and solutions for everyone involved in the process. As Dr. Fins points out,
the highly-charged Terry Schiavo case may have split the nation over
physician-assisted suicide, but we remain united in our belief in palliative
care and desire to improve it.
Dr Fins' book has received critical acclaim from several journals including
a highly favorable review in the April 13 New England Journal of Medicine.
NEJM nicely uncovered that, although the book was written for medical
students, "physicians, nurses, and all others who care for those with
life-limiting illnesses" would benefit from reading it as well.
Dr. Fins is chief of the Division of Medical Ethics, professor of medicine,
professor of public health, and professor of medicine in psychiatry at Weill
Cornell Medical College, and director of medical ethics at
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Science Briefs
Science Briefs is an electronic newsletter published by the Office of Public Affairs that focuses on innovative medical research and patient care at Weill Cornell Medical College.
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