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The Dying Experience
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
TO THE EDITOR:
Lynn and colleagues [1] provide further significant confirmatory data on the problems with terminal care. An abundance of medical literature clearly indicates that improvements are needed in end-of-life care. Emphasis should now be focused on implementing the changes necessary to improve this situation. I would like to offer the following suggestions, which may help improve terminal-care practice.
First, increase the use of inpatient palliative care on a widespread basis. Centers that have such services available have shown a high degree of overall satisfaction with this type of terminal care [2, 3]. These centers could offer physician and nursing fellowships through their facility to expand this type of practice nationally.
Second, persuade President Clinton or state legislators to require insurance companies to begin offering sufficient reimbursement for palliative care services. This measure would give health care providers the financial incentive to practice palliative care, rather than curative care, for patients facing imminent death.
Third, implement a national campaign for increasing the general public's knowledge about terminal-care practice. People cannot give truly informed consent about terminal-care options unless they are at least somewhat familiar with the consequences of their choices.
Michael P. Hahn, RRT
American Society for the Advancement of Palliative Care Highland, CA 92346
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
- Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians
