According to his book cover
biography, Atul Gawande is the author of three best-selling books, including Complications, Better, and The Checklist Manifesto. I have read all three and was quite excited
to read his most current publication, Being
Mortal. Mr. Gawande is a surgeon,
professor, and writer. His books cover
complicated and controversial topics in a calm and uncomplicated manner. He introduces us to real people, with real
medical issues while adding a human view to the sometimes sterile medical
world.
In Being Mortal, Mr. Gawande tackles end-of-life issues. He provides a historical perspective of
end-of-life care, as well as current issues facing our society. For example, he asserts that our medical
community is still confused on the best methods for providing care for patients
with long-term illnesses. He states:
“People
with serious illness have priorities besides simple prolonging their lives. Surveys find that their top concerns include
avoiding suffering, strengthening relationships with family and friends, being
mentally aware, not being a burden on others, and achieving a sense that their
life is complete. Our system of
technological medical care has utterly failed to meet these needs, and the cost
of this failure is measured in far more than dollars.”
Mr. Gawande considers how “we can
build a health care system that will actually help people achieve what’s most
important to them at the end of their lives”.
He states, “People die only once.
They have no experience to draw on.
We need doctors and nurses who are willing to have the hard discussions
and say what they have seen, who will help people prepare for what is to come –
and escape a warehouse oblivion that few really want.”
Overall, Mr. Gawande uses
real-life stories to teach his readers the importance of compassion and facing
reality. He asserts that encouraging
patients to think about and plan for the end of their life is just as important
as preventative care. In fact, some
studies have shown that simply having a conversation about advanced directives
(e.g., living wills) can reduce depression and confusion at the end-of-life.
This is not an uplifting book,
but it is an important one. I encourage
everyone to discuss end-of-life choices with their loved ones. It is not an easy conversation, but it can
save heartache and provide peace. Mr.
Gawande supports this notion and provides an excellent guide to help begin
those difficult conversations.
For more information: http://atulgawande.com/book/being-mortal/
Contributed by Valerie Connor, SJC instructor, law and ethics courses.
