ISSUES & Violations
END OF LIFE, MODERN MEDICINE & ASSISTED LIVING
Timeline
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Laws & Regulations
Medicare & Medicaid: These laws provide medical insurance for low-income families, pregnant women, people of all ages with disabilities, and people who need long-term care. They are significant to Being Mortal because Medicare & Medicaid help provide average citizens with the resources to afford assisted living, medical treatment, hospice, and much more. They give average people the chance to live longer (but not necessarily better) by paying for treatments like chemotherapy or surgery.
Power of Attorney: This is a legal document that gives one person the legal authority to act on behalf of another person and make decisions when that person is unable to do so in areas such as real estate, business, finance, and more. This is very common with elderly citizens and their children: the child becomes the power of attorney for their parent, and aids them in making decisions that they would otherwise struggle with. This relates to Being Mortal because depending on the patient, it could be up to the power of attorney as to what the fate of a patient is in a hospital. The power of attorney should prioritize the patient.
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA): This law requires hospitals to deliver medical services despite the patients’ ability to pay. If an individual has a medical emergency, such as an injury or active birth, the law requires caregivers to help the patient and provide treatment up to the point where the patient remains stable. This relates to Being Mortal because not only has Gawande shared a few of his experiences where he has performed emergency surgeries but also it shows the progression of modern medicine to the idea that the goal is to try to provide aid/prolong life even if it means creating a life of suffering for the patient.
Connections to Being Mortal
1. Nursing Homes
Throughout Being Mortal, Gawande constantly mentions the unhappiness that he encounters from people living in nursing homes. Assisted living has definitely made strides, and is more favorably looked upon by Gawande, but nursing homes are still possess problems to be addressed, such as the idea that efficiency is more important than the priorities of the patients.
2. Modern Medicine
The approach of modern medicine is to fight: try drug after drug until you find a solution to your problem. With some cancer patients, the patient will have tried over ten different types of chemotherapy in hopes that one will work. The issue with modern medicine is that it could prolong an unwanted life of suffering. In some instances, important conversations that Gawande has mentioned should be chosen over a drug. These conversations generally are about what is worth living for and what isn't. Sometimes, the best medicine isn't a drug, but a conversation.
3. End of Life Choices
A commonly highlighted theme throughout Being Mortal is choosing how you want to spend the end of your life. We are mortal, and we need to accept that. But is it worth fighting and suffering to the very end of our lives, or is it worth considering something like hospice so that we can enjoy the end of our lives? Prioritizing your needs is the most important thing when it comes to end of life choices.
Works Cited
“America's Aging Population.” Population Reference Bureau, PRB, 2010, www.prb.org/americas-aging-population/.
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CaringInfo. “Hospice Care.” Caring Info, 2009, www.caringinfo.org/files/public/brochures/Hospice_Care.pdf.
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“Evolution of Cancer Treatments: Chemotherapy.” American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/history-of-cancer/cancer-treatment-chemo.html.
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Gawande, Atul. Being Mortal. Metropolitan Books, 2014.
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Hofstra. “5 Health Care Laws Protecting the Rights of Patients.” Online Master's in Health Law and Policy, Hofstra, 23 Oct. 2018, onlinelaw.hofstra.edu/blog/5-health-care-laws-protecting-the-rights-of-patients/.
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LawDepot. “What Is a Power of Attorney?” LawDepot Blog, LawDepot, www.lawdepot.com/law-library/faq/power-of-attorney-faq-united-states/#.XHw6j-JKjOQ.
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Norris, Adam. “North Carolina Impatient Detox.” Freedom Detox, 8 June 2018, www.freedomdetoxnc.com/sub-acute-detoxification/doctor-in-hospital-background-with-copy-space/. (SPLASH PHOTO)
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Spross, Jeff. “America Is on the Verge of a Nursing Crisis.” The Week - All You Need to Know about Everything That Matters, The Week, 25 Sept. 2018, theweek.com/articles/797779/america-verge-nursing-crisis.
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“The History Of Assisted Living In The United States.” The History Of Assisted Living In The United States : Stellar Living Learning Resources, Stellar Assisted Living, www.stellarliving.com/resources/assisted-living/history-assisted-living-united-states/.
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U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Medicare Medicaid Overview.” CMS.gov Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 20 June 2018, www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-information/History/.