Decision Making

Some health or medical issues can be managed with relatively straightforward treatment plans: "I agree to surgery to fix this fractured...

Doctors often provide best case scenarios. The best case is what they are hoping for, and it is what they feel most comfortable relaying...

I stepped into the patient's home as the man behind the door said, "I'm so glad you're here. I don't know what to do." He shut the...

Have you ever made decisions "in the heat of the moment" and later shook your head asking yourself, "What was I thinking?" "Normally I...

Honestly, you really do not need to know the definition of the healthcare phrase "goals of care" in order to advocate for the best...

Most people do not want to go to the hospital. There is a lot of stopping and going in the emergency room, where you might have to wait...

Sometimes it seems that we medicalize unpleasant or undesirable aspects of being a human being. One that comes to mind is grief. ...

(Many thanks to Erin Nielsen, LCSW, of The Holding Group and Magdalena Belgie, LMSW, for their expert input with this post!) "The...

The particular nouns, adjectives, and verbs we choose to describe ourselves and our lives can alter how we see ourselves and our...

Before I started working as a palliative care physician (read Post 1: What Exactly Does a Palliative Care Specialist Do?), I worked as a...

"She didn't use the Life Alert button when she fell! What am I going to do if this happens again? I've used up all my days staying with...