Back in April, it was former First Lady Barbara Bush. Just the past few days, Arizona Senator John McCain. Comfort care, discontinue medical treatment, and other similar phrases have been…
By Ryan Van Wert, MD Advance care planning (ACP) is a thoughtful way for individuals to document their wishes for end-of-life care. It’s a proactive step that helps people tell…
By Frank Wang, PhD In April 2017, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) announced their Patient Matching Algorithm Challenge. Although Vynca did not have a generally available standalone patient matching…
By Ryan Van Wert, MD The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has spent many years developing and refining new reimbursement models with the goal of improving quality and…
The National POLST Paradigm is a voluntary approach to end of life planning that emphasizes eliciting, documenting and honoring the treatment preferences of seriously ill or frail individuals using a portable…
My grandfather was the patriarch of his family, at the center of a tightknit Lebanese immigrant community in Toronto, Canada. Some of my warmest childhood memories are from Sundays at…
GeriPalJohn’s Story Since his college days, John was always a runner. Now at age 65, limping with arthritis, his orthopedic surgeon has recommended a left knee replacement. John completed a…
Providing high quality emergency care to individuals with serious, life-limiting illness starts with an understanding of their treatment goals and care preferences above all else. Speaking as a critical care physician,…