End-of-Life University

Learn about some positive steps that are needed to heal the current hospice industry in the U.S. and how your story can make a difference.

My guest Dr. Ira Byock is a leading palliative care physician, author and public advocate for improving care through the end of life. He is the author of Dying Well, The Four Things That Matter Most, and The Best Care Possible. We discuss his recent essay pinion piece published in STAT online: “Hospice Care Needs Saving,” which is a response to the November Propublica/New Yorker article How the Visionary Hospice Movement Became a For-Profit Hustle. Learn more at his website:

www.irabyock.org

Read the STAT article

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

• Our reactions to the Propublica article
• What the article got right about today’s hospice and why we need to take it seriously
• What the hospice movement needs to work on to improve care for patients and rebuild trust with the public
• Why internal “self-correction” is more important now for the hospice industry than expecting Congress to make changes
• Why over-focus on profit is dangerous for the hospice movement
• Why transparency, strengthened oversight, and legal accountability are important steps for saving hospice
• How stories about current hospice care can be helpful as we move forward

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Previous interview with Dr. Byock
• Get in touch with Dr. Byock to share your hospice story: ira.byock@gmail.com
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